Why did Nevill run from his bedroom into the kitchen?

[scipio_usmc]

I can't help but wonder why Nevill ran into the kitchen instead of out the front door.  The hall stairs lead to the front door. Was there no way to unlock the front door without a key?

Did he run into the kitchen to try to get to the phone, to try to get out the back door or was he trying to get into the office to reach one of his guns? 

I realize Jeremy claims it was to use the phone but I can't help but to suspect he was actually trying to reach one of his guns.  Trying to use the phone while being beaten and shot at makes little sense. If you are going to stop defending yourself to try to grab something a weapon seems most logical.     

[John]

I can't help but wonder why Nevill ran into the kitchen instead of out the front door.  The hall stairs lead to the front door. Was there no way to unlock the front door without a key?

Did he run into the kitchen to try to get to the phone, to try to get out the back door or was he trying to get into the office to reach one of his guns? 

I realize Jeremy claims it was to use the phone but I can't help but to suspect he was actually trying to reach one of his guns.  Trying to use the phone while being beaten and shot at makes little sense. If you are going to stop defending yourself to try to grab something a weapon seems most logical.   

I don't think anyone has asked this before but it was probably a case of seeking refuse from the onslaught of bullets.  Had he stopped to unlock the back door he would have left himself wide open to attack.  He probably thought he could find something to defend himself with in the kitchen, maybe the poker?

[scipio_usmc]

The back kitchen/office is where his guns were stored. That is why I wondered if he was trying to reach his guns.

I didn't know there was a poker I would be interested in seeing its shape if there was one given the burns on Nevill

[Myster]

I can't help but wonder why Nevill ran into the kitchen instead of out the front door.  The hall stairs lead to the front door. Was there no way to unlock the front door without a key?

Did he run into the kitchen to try to get to the phone, to try to get out the back door or was he trying to get into the office to reach one of his guns? 

I realize Jeremy claims it was to use the phone but I can't help but to suspect he was actually trying to reach one of his guns.  Trying to use the phone while being beaten and shot at makes little sense. If you are going to stop defending yourself to try to grab something a weapon seems most logical.     

The back kitchen/office is where his guns were stored. That is why I wondered if he was trying to reach his guns.

I didn't know there was a poker I would be interested in seeing its shape if there was one given the burns on Nevill

One view is that NB was trying to seek help, not by phoning his son but the police, and as has been said many times before, because he was severely wounded in the jaw and mouth at that stage his blood would have been present on the handset had he got the chance to use it.

From what I understand all the doors at WHF were secured every night, including the front door, possibly with a key left in the lock. So it does make you wonder why NB didn't try to escape that way to reach the farmworkers' cottages in nearby Pages Lane, as that was the nearest exit door from the main stairs.

This gives credence to the idea that NB was forced downstairs with the rifle pointed at his back by Jeremy Bamber, perhaps with the intention of making it look like NB had used the phone, but attacking him before he did so. NB could also have resisted as soon as both reached the kitchen which was then when the violent struggle began.

If NB had attempted to retrieve a weapon from the gun cupboard it would have led him open to further attack as he would need to kneel down to reach inside to get one, unless of course a loaded rifle/shotgun was left just outside it.

I think John is referring to the poker found in the gun cupboard, although there were tools for the AGA hanging to to its right hand side, which are more easily to hand. I haven't seen any close-up photo of the first poker, although one may exist in police files.

Welcome to the forum by the way, scipio

You've made some well-reasoned comments in your other posts too.

[Holly Goodhead]

The back kitchen/office is where his guns were stored. That is why I wondered if he was trying to reach his guns.

I didn't know there was a poker I would be interested in seeing its shape if there was one given the burns on Nevill

Welcome to the forum Scipio.

The poker was kept/found in the gun cupboard.  It was said to resemble a golf club as it had a bent/hooked end.  I'm pretty sure I have seen a photo on 'Blue'.

[Holly Goodhead]

I can't help but wonder why Nevill ran into the kitchen instead of out the front door.  The hall stairs lead to the front door. Was there no way to unlock the front door without a key?

Did he run into the kitchen to try to get to the phone, to try to get out the back door or was he trying to get into the office to reach one of his guns? 

I realize Jeremy claims it was to use the phone but I can't help but to suspect he was actually trying to reach one of his guns.  Trying to use the phone while being beaten and shot at makes little sense. If you are going to stop defending yourself to try to grab something a weapon seems most logical.   

I don't think poor NB "run into the kitchen" as he was too badly injured.  More likely stumbled hence NB's blood was found on the stairs wallpaper.

AE wonders in her WS why NB didn't pick up a chair to defend himself and fight like a tiger (or was it a lion or even lion tamer) as that is what she would have done  8-)(--)  Mind you AE said this on the basis that he was defending himself against SC not sure if she would think the same about JB  8-)(--)

Surely NB's RAF training would kick in? I think his first thought would be to protect others, including SC if she was the shooter.  I don't see self-preservation being uppermost in his mind.  Perhaps he intended to flee to the nearby cottages to raise the alarm, obtain a gun and hoping the shooter would follow thus protecting those remaining and/or buying them time, but by the time he reached the kitchen his injuries prevented him from doing so.  Plus if he could entice the shooter outside he might have thought it would be possible for him to then shut the door protecting those remaining albeit he might have realised June was badly injured.

[scipio_usmc]

Pick up a chair to defend himself?

If someone is hitting you with something what do you do?  You try to grab it!  That is the natural reaction and the most effective unless you ar ein a position to run away so that you will be out of reach.

The most dangerous place to be when someone has a gun is intermediate range.  If you are distant and moving it is hard for a shooter to hit you.

If you are close then you can try to take the gun away from the shooter. That could very well be what happened.  Nevill tried to grab the gun, he was too close for Jeremy to shoot him so Jeremy had to strike him with the gun to get him subdued enough to be able to walk far enough away to actually shoot him.

Another possibility is that Jeremy ran out of bullets and had to knock him out to have a chance to reload. 

If he marched Nevill down then he was stupid.  He could have simply plugged the phone upstairs after he finished killing them and claimed the call was made from the bedroom. With him in th ekitchen it means he was already shot 5 times by the time he could have reached the phone and this throws off Jeremy's story by a lot.  They needed medical attention how could they keep it in the family and expect just Jeremy to help?   I find it impossible that he would not announce he was shot and instead say she has a gun and might shoot them so get over here to help stop her. Of course someone in that position would call 999 and say send an ambulance I'm shot....

But alas he couldn't talk anyway by this time.  His injuries would have either rendered him unable to speak or unconscious.  Which does back to the folly in making him go downstairs.  His story hinged upon Nevill calling before the shooting started but making him go downstairs prooved he could no have called until after he was already shot.

Jeremy didn't count on police being able to figure out he was shot upstairs first.