Murder-suicide Called ‘crime Of Passion (Press, 19 August 1987)

The Christchurch District Coroner's court revealed details of a tragic murder-suicide involving two Lyttelton men, Peter Ross Bachop, 32, and Kenneth Charles Loader, 43. The incident occurred on May 9, 1987, and was characterised by the Coroner, Mr. Neil Mac Lean, as a "crime of passion." The findings determined that Bachop died from a ricochet gunshot wound to the chest and abdomen, while Loader died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The court heard that their relationship had soured, leading to tensions on the day of the incident. After having lived together, Bachop decided to move out, which upset Loader. On the night of the shooting, after Bachop had relocated to his family home, Loader appeared at the house early in the morning, urging Bachop to come out. When Bachop refused, Loader forcibly entered the home, brandishing a rifle. Despite attempts to negotiate, the situation escalated when Loader fired the gun, injuring Bachop. Loader's erratic behaviour and previous threats towards Bachop were also discussed in court, detailing how Bachop lived in fear of Loader's violent tendencies. Family members testified to being aware of the unstable relationship and the troubles that had arisen, with Bachop's father, Leslie Wilfred Bachop, indicating that he had heard rumours about the relationship but his son had denied them. After the initial shots were fired, Bachop attempted to escape, prompting Loader to follow him, leading to further shots being exchanged. The second part of the court proceedings included the tragic death of soccer player Peter Cousins, aged 24, at Burnside Park on June 13, 1987. Cousins died after a soccer goal post, which had been tampered with, fell on him while he was warming up. This incident raised significant safety concerns regarding the maintenance of goalposts, with evidence presented showing that the posts had not been securely anchored, leading to severe head injuries that ultimately resulted in Cousins’ death. Additionally, the court addressed the death of Cyril James McAnally, a 58-year-old foreman, who was hit by a reversing truck while overseeing a worksite on May 12, 1987. Similar to the incidents above, this highlighted safety lapses on construction sites. Despite previous warnings and a narrow escape earlier that day, McAnally was unable to react in time as the truck reversed, leading to fatal injuries. The final case discussed was the death of 15-year-old Glen Bevan Sutherland, who suffered multiple injuries from a motorcycle accident on Langdon’s Road after leaving a friend’s house in the early hours of the morning. These incidents not only brought to light the individual tragedies but also pointed to broader issues surrounding safety protocols and relationship violence in the community.

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