Cop shoots mum-in-law ..on bail for murdering his wife; HE FLIPPED OVER TRIAL.

Byline: By MARTIN FRICKER and TOM PETTIFOR

A COP awaiting trial for murdering his wife shot dead her mother then killed himself.

Brutal Garry Weddell is believed to have blasted widowed Traute Maxfield, 70, because she was due to testify against him.

The 45-year-old Met inspector - father of three orphaned children - then drove 10 miles to a shooting club in Markyate, Herts, and shot himself in the head at the weekend. A relative said: "Anybody who could do this is evil."

Weddell was on bail despite being accused of strangling wife Sandra, 44, after discovering she was unfaithful.

He planned to hang himself in shame after being arrested. His desperate plot was foiled when custody officers found a length of flex wrapped round his ankle.

But incredibly, despite the risk of him cheating justice, the 45-year-old Met inspector was granted pounds 200,000 bail.

His suicide left his three children Kate, 13, Tom, 11, and Lucy, eight, orphaned. Last night relatives were still in shock.

Patsy Mowbray, mum-inlaw of Sandra's brother, said: "They've not only lost their mum but their grandmother as well. They loved her dearly.

"They're heartbroken. This is just terrible for them. Anyone who could do this is just evil."

Weddell's defence was told last week that widowed Mrs Maxfield was due to testify against him at his trial in May. The disclosure tipped the police inspector over the edge of reason.

It is thought he left his barrister brother Geoffrey's home in Woking, Surrey - where he lived - on Friday.

He then waited 24 hours before bursting into Mrs Maxfield's pounds 1million house in the Hertfordshire hamlet of Gustard Wood and blasting her with an illegally-owned shotgun.

After the attack Weddell drove 10 miles in his Renault Laguna to Broomhills Shooting Club in Markyate. He gained entrance even though he was not a member and his gun licence had been revoked.

Ex-soldier Weddell set off up a trail through woodland before emerging into fields at a spot known as The Rook.

There, he walked to a wooden shelter and shot himself in the head. His body was found at 11am. Officers went to Mrs Maxfield's home as she was listed as next of kin.

When they got no answer, a firearms team was called in. They entered and discovered the body of the devout churchgoer in her living room.

Danish-born Mrs Maxfield had lived alone since the death of her husband William, 92, a year ago.

Friend Suzanne Locks, 72, said: "Poor Traute. She was very caring and devoted the last years of her life to looking after her husband."

Weddell, nurse Sandra and their children lived in a pounds 450,000 home at Dunstable, Beds. A former neighbour said: "They seemed like a perfect family."

But in December 2006 the inspector found Sandra had been having an affair.

When he confronted her, she said she wanted to end their 23-year marriage. Four weeks later Sandra went missing.

She was found dead in the garage of her home with a cable tie round her neck with an apparent suicide note by her body. But there were bruises on the corpse. In June Weddell, an officer for 25 years, was accused of her murder.

The officer was originally remanded in custody by Luton court.

A later application for bail was refused when police discovered the flex.

But he was eventually freed on bail in September at Ipswich crown court after his "soul mate" brother agreed to put up pounds 200,000 surety. Yesterday Geoffrey refused to comment.

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CAPTION(S):

MURDER JAN 07 Family home where Sandra was found in garage; MURDER SATURDAY MORNING Mum-in-law blasted to death in country cottage; SUICIDE SATURDAY 11AM Police search scene of Weddell's shotgun death; BRUTE: Killer cop Weddell; HELP: Brother Geoffrey