Goldfinger killing: Thousands have motive in fraudster's death, inquest hears

Sixteen thousand fraud victims of murdered gangster John "Goldfinger" Palmer could have had a motive to kill him, a coroner has been told.

A detective said his murder was probably connected with his criminal past, including links to last year's Hatton Garden jewellery heist and the 1983 Brinks Mat gold bullion robbery.

Palmer, 65, was shot dead in the three-acre garden of his secluded, woodland home 18 months ago.

At the time he was recovering from recent gall bladder surgery and police and paramedics initially thought that explained his injuries.

In 2001 Palmer was jailed at the Old Bailey for eight years for swindling 16,000 timeshare holiday customers out of £33m.

Det Chief Insp Stephen Jennings, of Essex Police, told the coroner: "His 16,000 victims have a potential motive and that's a strong line of inquiry."

He said: "There were a number of potential people who would have a legitimate motive to try to cause him harm."

The detective told the Chelmsford inquest that Palmer was suspected of selling proceeds from the £10m Hatton Garden jewellery heist.

"He had associated with some of those who were convicted," he said.

He also told the coroner Palmer had been arrested over the £26m gold bullion robbery at Heathrow airport in 1983.

Palmer was suspected of smelting some of the stolen gold. He was not convicted, but it led to his nickname "Goldfinger".

DCI Jennings said: "There was a lot of police activity in 2015 with the criminal hierarchy who were arrested and that was one of the possibilities why he may have been killed."

The officer said police had followed up 700 leads and taken 200 witness statements.

Some potential witnesses had refused to be interviewed, but it was still a wide-ranging investigation with proactive work to be done, he added.

Ashley Thilthorpe, the partner of Palmer's daughter, was the only family member at the inquest.

Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray concluded Palmer was unlawfully killed.

DCI Jennings described the shooting as a professional hit.

He said the killer had drilled a hole in a wooden fence and spied on Palmer as he pottered around his garden.

When Palmer lit a bonfire to burn documents near the fence, the killer jumped over and shot him six times.

Palmer staggered 15 metres towards his house before collapsing.

One man was later arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, but was released without charge.