Boy, 14, held over shotgun murder of classmate’s father
A BOY of 14, accused of killing a classmate’s father with a legally held shotgun in a dispute over bullying, was being questioned by police last night.
Lee Holt, 32, suffered fatal injuries when he visited the schoolboy in a quiet village cul-de-sac to confront him about allegedly making a classmate’s life a misery.
Shocked neighbours who tried to save the father- of-three last night claimed firearms were previously kept at the property.
The boy, who is being held on suspicion of murder, is understood to have been excluded from his secondary school on more than one occasion.
Detectives last night said the issue of how he could have had access to weapons, allegedly owned legally by his father, said to be a keen hunter, would form part of the investigation.
it came as police arrested a second suspect, a 49-year- old man, also on suspicion of murder.
Relatives of the victim have demanded to know how a schoolboy could have access to a firearm, praising Mr Holt as ‘a truly brave man’ who had put a child’s life before his own.
Wednesday’s shooting shocked residents of Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire. Mr Holt is thought to have called at the £ 220,000 property just before 8.30pm to confront the 14-year- old about picking on a classmate, but an argument erupted, and neighbours heard shouting before Mr Holt, a line painter for a road maintenance firm, was fatally wounded.
One neighbour said she heard a woman screaming ‘ blood, blood’. Another attempted to resuscitate Mr Holt, who was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital but later died.
A friend of Mr Holt said: ‘Lee had gone to the house to try to stop the bullying. The lad had been making the pupil’s life hell for weeks and he was totally miserable. Lee said he would go round and have a word. All he was doing was trying to help.’
Mr Holt was in a relationship with 34- year- old Kate Metcalfe and is understood to have three children by previous relationships. Jodie Metcalfe wrote in a Facebook tribute: ‘Rest easy Lee, a truly brave man – and i will be forever grateful for that.’
Meanwhile Miss Metcalfe’s grandparents said Mr Holt would have ‘done anything’ for her and demanded to know how the tragic shooting could have happened.
‘This is a terrible thing to happen,’ Peter Beresford, 78, said. ‘How on earth could this boy get hold of a gun? it should have been securely locked away.’
Kelly Flood, who had two children with him, told friends his daughters were heartbroken. He ‘was a good dad’ whose girls treasured him, she said.
‘His poor daughters have been left without a father over something so petty – it’s tragic,’ a neighbour said.
Friend Shane Murray wrote on Facebook: ‘Totally shocked. How in God’s name does a school argument end up with someone loosing there [sic] life!!’
Yesterday forensics teams searched the house. A large number of dogs were removed from the property by police over the course of the day.
neighbours said the family of the held boy were well-known in the area.
Detective Chief inspector Jill Johnston, of Lancashire Police, confirmed Mr Holt had met the suspects and that an ‘altercation’ had taken place.
‘ it’s part of an ongoing dispute between two family members,’ she said. She would not comment on the link to bullying but confirmed officers are making inquiries with schools.
‘This is absolutely horrific. it’s really tragic and really sad for both families,’ she added. ‘There are no winners here.’