A CORONER today appealed for the public's help to discover how a college student gained access to a gun which he used to shoot dead his 15-year-old ex-girlfriend and then himself.

Jilted Joshua Thompson, 18, shot Kally Gilligan at her home in Salford, Greater Manchester, with a sawn-off shotgun before taking his own life.

Police inquiries are continuing as to where the gun came from, Bolton Coroner Jennifer Leeming was told.

Ms Leeming said the "desperate tragedy" would not have happened if Joshua had not acquired the firearm.

She said: "The person who allowed Joshua to have that weapon should also bear some responsibility."

On a wider note, she said: "All those who illegally hold weapons should reflect well on these events.

"If this tragedy does not persuade people to give up those weapons then we should all despair."

The inquest heard that Joshua had previously threatened to kill himself when the couple first split up, but Kally had taken him back.

The pair first met at Albion School in Salford and had gone out together for about two years.

Kally, described as "lively" and "bubbly", was sitting her GCSEs at the time of her death and the talented pupil was taking her maths exam a year earlier.

Joshua, 18, had left school and was studying sports science at college in Pendleton and hoped to become a PE teacher.

The relationship was said to be "on-off" and "rocky", with the pair frequently arguing and then making up.

Kally's sister, Cheryl, told the court that they had first split up around Valentine's Day this year.

She said: "Joshua would still come round the house though and he was always crying. Kally said that he had told her he would kill himself.

"I think Kally took him back because she was scared he would harm himself."

The relationship finally ended a week before the tragedy on June 10 this year. The night before, Joshua had stayed at a friend's house after they had visited a 21st birthday party.

Sheldon Campbell told the inquest that Joshua had brought a large bag, which was used to carry the gun, but he could not remember whether he had it at the party.

Mr Campbell said the pair agreed to go on a day trip to Blackpool the next day and he said Joshua asked him to call Kally and suggest she come along.

He said that she replied she didn't want to.

On the morning of June 10 he said that Joshua was laughing and joking with his mother and showed no signs of distress.The pair got a taxi to pick up Mr Campbell's girlfriend and on the way stopped at Kally's house in Lower Broughton where she lived with Cheryl and her mother Tracy.

Joshua got out of the vehicle and phoned Kally to ask her to go with them and again she declined his invitation.

Minutes later Kally's mother and sister who were upstairs in the home heard a loud bang.

They quickly heard another bang and then rushed downstairs to see Kally lying in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor.

Mrs Gilligan said: "I saw Joshua going out the front door with a gun in his hand.

"I shut the door and tried to ring an ambulance but I couldn't because I was in so much shock.

"I saw Joshua outside in the garden and I heard him say 'I'm dead now anyway'.

"There was another shot and I saw him fall."

Neighbours told the hearing that they had seen Joshua in the garden of the terraced house and heard him say "God forgive me I've done a terrible thing", before he shot himself.

Giving evidence, Joshua's mother Doreen Irvine said her son had told her he could not live without Kally, but had never said he would harm her or himself.

Earlier, Ms Leeming praised both families for their "unselfishness" in agreeing to hold a joint inquest, rather than asking witnesses to attend separate hearings.

She ruled that Kally had been unlawfully killed and Joshua had committed suicide.

Detective Inspector Joanne Rawlinson, who led the investigation, said inquiries were continuing as to where the gun came from.

Ms Leeming said: "I make a public appeal to anyone with information to please come forward."

Neither family commented as they left the court. Tweet