Girl, 7, dies after estranged father shoots her in head

A seven-year-old girl was shot in the head on the doorstep of her home by her estranged father, an inquest has heard.

Mary Shipstone, also known as Maryam Alromisse, was gunned down after she returned from school on September 11 last year, Hastings Coroner's Court was told.

She was standing next to her mother clutching a new violin when the shooting took place, the hearing was told.

She was taken to King's College Hospital, London, but later died of her injuries.

Her father, Yasser Alromisse, 46, was hidden in the rear of a silver Toyota on the drive by the house, in Northiam, near Rye, East Sussex, when he fired the shots.

The car windows were tinted and he had created a blind from bin bags to shield himself, the hearing was told.

He then turned the gun on himself and his body was found in a pool of blood in the rear of the car. He had shot himself in the head.

The shooting took place at a safe house where Mary had lived with her mother, Lyndsey Shipstone, for the past year

Ms Shipstone had not wanted to be traced by Alromisse, who had been abusive to her.

The court heard how Alromisse had hired private detective Paul Parton, purporting to be a friend of his ex-wife, in May 2014 to try and establish her location.

Mr Parton was unable to locate Mrs Shipstone and later withdrew his services concerned Alromisse's motive was to take away the child.

Mr Craze said it was not clear how Alromisse eventually found the address, but described the murder as a "thoroughly despicable act of violence".

He added: "It was not in any way spontaneous. It was pre-meditated over a long period of time."

East Sussex coroner Alan Craze concluded that Mary had been unlawfully killed, and ruled her father's death as suicide.