Mystery continues to surround who owned the shotgun which was used by Michael Tucker to kill girlfriend and business partner Becky Thorpe as she sat in the bath.

During interview, Tucker told police officers that Miss Thorpe had been given the .410 shotgun by a former boyfriend and she had kept it in her hockey bag.

The jury on Tucker's murder trial at Norwich Crown Court had seen pictures of Miss Thorpe holding the gun and jurors were told she was a 'good shot' with an air rifle, which was also kept at the couple's pub - the Compasses Inn in Snettisham.

Jurors were told that Tucker did not know why his partner had brought the weapon into the pub or why she kept it in her hockey bag.

The court also heard that Miss Thorpe only had two cartridges for the gun but that Tucker knew exactly where to find the gun and ammunition before carrying the weapon to the bathroom, loading it and shooting Miss Thorpe, who used to live and work in Downham Market, in the back of the head.

After the murder, Tucker left the gun under a mattress and he told officers where to find the weapon shortly after being arrested.

However, a Norfolk Police spokesman has told the EDP that neither Miss Thorpe or Tucker had a licence to have the shotgun and that, despite Tucker's claims, it had never been established who owned the gun.