Hunt for raid pair after man shot dead in home
DETECTIVES SUSPECT a botched burglary that led to an insurance company executive being shot dead at his £1m home was pre-planned.
Guy Hedger was fatally wounded at his property in Castlewood in the Dorset village of St Ives in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The 61-year-old insurance executive was rushed to hospital, but died of his injuries a short time after he arrived. Dorset Police said two suspects were being hunted in connection with the raid.
Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Derbyshire said: “We are still trying to establish a motive for the intruders and why this particular address in Castlewood was targeted.
“We believe there was an element of pre-planning involved. Therefore we would urgently like to hear from anyone who may have seen people or vehicles acting suspiciously in the area directly before or during the days leading up to the incident.
“This may have involved people in the area in general or paying particular attention to the specific house. Any small detail may help us with our investigation.
“Currently, we do not believe the offenders were known to the victim. However, we continue to investigate all lines of inquiry.”
Mr Hedger was listed as living at the property with SimonPierre Hedger-Cooper, 48, a voluntary sector worker. They were said to have lived as a married couple for 12 years.
Police said a second person in the property at the time of the killing was deeply affected by the incident and was being supported by specially trained officers.
Meanwhile, the businessman’s next-of-kin have asked for privacy at this “deeply traumatic time”, police said.
A spokesman for insurance company Liverpool Victoria (LV=) paid tribute to Mr Hedger, saying: “We were all shocked to hear that our friend and colleague Guy Hedger, LV=’s marketing and brand director, died over the weekend in such tragic circumstances.
“An extremely talented marketer, Guy was instrumental in building the LV= brand and he will be sorely missed by many.
“Our heartfelt condolences and sympathy are with his family and loved ones at this incredibly sad time.”
Mr Hedger was marketing director at Avonbourne International and Business and Enterprise Trust, which runs colleges and a primary school in the Bournemouth area.
Debbie Godfrey-Phaure, chief executive of Avonbourne Trust, described Mr Hedger as a kind and generous man.
She said: “Everyone at Avonbourne Trust is shocked and deeply saddened by the passing of Guy Hedger. Guy was one of the founding directors of Avonbourne Multi-Academy Trust when it was formed in 2012.
“He became a director through his role as marketing director of LV= in Bournemouth, which is a longstanding business partner of Avonbourne.
“Guy was a very kind and generous man who volunteered and gave his time freely to Avonbourne.
“As a trust, we benefited greatly from Guy’s lifetime experience of finance and marketing and we will always be grateful for the significant contributions he made.
“Guy had a deep passion for education and was dedicated to expanding the experience and knowledge of children in Bournemouth.
Everyone at the trust will miss his guiding hand, friendship and the wonderful service he provided us.”