A children's author was shot and then beaten to death by a neighbour with mental health issues, after he became convinced the victim was a spy working for Russian president Vladimir Putin to spread Covid-19, an inquest has heard.
James Nash, 42, was shot in the front garden of his home in the hamlet of Upper Enham, near Andover in Hampshire at 3pm on August 5, 2020.
His neighbour Alex Sartain, 34, used a home-made double-barrelled shotgun and then repeatedly stamped on the parish councillor's head, causing him fatal head injuries, the Winchester inquest was told.
Mr Sartain himself died later that day when he crashed his motorcycle while being pursued by police. An inquest into his death will be held on Wednesday.