Victims: Jane Robinson, 66, Jamie Clark, 23, Isaac Dixon, 65 and Michael Pike, 64,
Garry Purdham, 31, Susan Hughes, 57, David Bird, 52, and Darren Rewcastle
Tax bill that drove Derrick Bird to mass murder: He feared undeclared £60k would put him in jail
* Police probe if cabbie drew up hit list before rampage
* Killer had been self harming for years in secret
* Bird given firearms licences despite theft conviction
* Enough weapons at his house to 'start small war'
* Cumbria force face investigation into handling of crisis
* Victims included 23-year-old son of £2.3m Lottery winners
Killer Derrick Bird had held gun licence for 20 years
Police face questions about why he wasn't stopped sooner
Victims include his own twin brother and family solicitor
Six still in hospital - 2 'stable but serious', 4 'comfortable'
Cameron warns against 'knee-jerk' gun crackdown
Mass murderer Derrick Bird was tipped over the edge by a major tax investigation into an undeclared £60,000 which he feared would see him sent to prison, it was disclosed last night.
Increasingly desperate and drinking heavily, he became embroiled in a bitter dispute with his twin brother David who was the first of his 12 victims.
Bird, 52, killed brother David then family solicitor Kevin Commons, who he thought was colluding to cheat him out of his mother's £96,000 inheritance.
He wanted the money to clear his tax demand which exceeded £10,000 after the Inland Revenue caught him with £60,000 in undeclared and untaxed earnings in a bank account, a friend said last night.
Fellow taxi driver Mark Cooper said: 'All he said was that they had caught him with £60,000 in the bank. He said, "They have caught me with £60,000 in the bank, the tax people". He just said, "I'll go to jail".
'He just asked me if he could handle jail. He didn't want to go.'
Mr Cooper, 45, who said he had known the taxi driver for 15 years, said he was not sure where Bird had got money from, but added: 'His mother was giving him money. A couple of grand a month.
Consumed with jealousy and bitterness as his life collapsed around him, police believe the gun enthusiast drew up a hit list of other people against whom he held a grudge before going on the rampage across western Cumbria, leaving 12 dead.
Five victims he is thought to have deliberately targeted included taxi drivers he accused of stealing his fares and police were also investigating whether workers at Sellafield nuclear plant where Bird had been sacked as a joiner after being convicted of theft were sought out for revenge.
Last night, his dead brother's three daughters denied there had been a 'family feud' between the twins, but said their father had 'only tried to help' the taxi driver.
Family sources said yesterday that Bird was hoping to benefit from money raised by the sale of his mother Mary's home following a stroke in 2003.
Sources said David and elder brother Brian - both well off - did not want to have to hand over any of their inheritance to bail out their self-employed brother.
Bird had been telling fellow cab drivers he was going to prison for four years for tax evasion.
'He was shaking people's hands on the rank,' said one. 'He was saying "I'll see you in four years".'
A close family friend told the Daily Mail: 'It was all about the Inland Revenue. He was being investigated and was paranoid his brother and the solicitor were colluding to get him in trouble with the taxman.'
Last Saturday night he told friends he was going to sort out a simmering row with fellow cab drivers he accused of queue-jumping to steal fares.
He returned on Tuesday, twice driving past the queuing taxis at a snail's pace and staring menacingly at fellow drivers before speeding off.
That evening - the night before the massacre - he was involved in a blazing row at the rank which reportedly ended with him warning there would be 'a rampage' and that they wouldn't see him again.
Bird, who had taken to binge-drinking, is then believed to have gone home and threatened to take his gun and shoot someone, only to be stopped by a friend.
But despite mounting evidence of a personal crisis, no one raised the alarm over his deteriorating mental state and access to weapons.
Cabbie Don Reed said: 'His mum took ill in February and he's been out on the lash a lot. I said "Derrick, if you need to talk about it, talk about it".'
Early on Wednesday morning, Bird is believed to have blasted his brother David in his bed at his home in Lamplugh. He then lay in wait for Mr Commons and shot him too.
Neither crime had been reported by 10.30am when he drove his Citroen Picasso minicab back to the Whitehaven rank and gunned down Darren Rewcastle. Several cab drivers narrowly escaped death.
It was the start of an unprecedented manhunt as Bird sped through peaceful villages executing complete strangers apparently at random. His terrifying rampage ended only when he shot himself at a Lake District beauty spot.
Police last night seized guns and ammunition from Bird's pebbledashed house in Rowrah.
A neighbour said: 'He must have been armed to the teeth. It looked like Derrick was planning to start a small war. He could have killed dozens more people. It's absolutely terrifying he was able to amass such supplies.'
Last night, David Bird's three daughters Rachel, 28, Tracey, 26, and Katie, 19, denied there had been a family feud and said their 58-year-old father had tried to help his brother.
They added: 'We are utterly devastated about the death of our dad. He was the nicest man you could ever meet.'
Bird's two sons, Graeme, 28, who has a two-week- old baby, Leighton, and Jamie, 16, were being comforted by their mother, Linda Mills, at her semi-detached home in Lamplugh.
Detective Chief Superintendent Iain Goulding, of Cumbria Police, said: 'A key part of the "why" in this investigation is trying to establish whether those tragically killed were chosen because of a motive, because of a grudge or were simply random killings.
'Our initial assessment is we have a combination of both.'
NHS Cumbria has denied that Bird sought help from mental health services or casualty units the day before the killings.
Did killer draw up a hit list?
The crazed killer may have drawn up a hitlist of victims before unleashing his bloody rampage across Cumbria, it emerged yesterday.
Derrick Bird seemingly targeted them to settle old scores before randomly opening fire on passers-by.
His intended victims included his twin brother, David, local lawyer Kevin Commons and at least two former colleagues on the taxi rank in Whitehaven.
Among the rest were a retired couple - James and Jennifer Jackson - a charity worker and the son of a Lottery winner.
An eyewitness saw Bird park up outside Mr Commons's home at 5.30am on Wednesday, and three hours later locals heard four loud bangs ring out. The 60-year-old was a close friend of Bird's twin brother, David, and was due to see him that afternoon.
Police recovered a series of letters from his law firm at Bird's house. It is believed Bird was involved in a dispute with his brother over the will of their mother, Mary.
By 9am David had been shot in his bed. Bird then went to Whitehaven and used his taxi radio to lure fellow drivers to their death.
Darren Rewcastle is believed to have under-cut Bird on the taxi rank, leading to an argument a night before the rampage. He was shot on the rank.
Other cabbies that Bird knew were then fired at before he sped off towards Egremont. Among his next victims was Kenneth Fishburn, who worked at the Sellafield nuclear plant.
Bird worked there until his sacking in 1990 for theft, and police are investigating whether the murder is linked.
Police yesterday confirmed that he targeted certain individuals before turning his guns on innocents.
Detective Chief Superintendent Iain Goulding said: 'They key part of why (he did this) is to establish which of those killed were chosen because of a grudge or were simply random killings.'
His twin brother
David Bird was his brother's non-identical twin who worked as a mechanic. Friends described him as more successful and outgoing than Derrick.
The 52-year-old lived on his own in Lamplugh after separating from his wife, with whom he had three daughters - Rachel, 28, Tracey, 26, and Katie, 19. He was also a grandfather.
His daughters yesterday said in a statement saying: 'We are utterly devastated about the death of our dad. He was the nicest man you could ever meet. He was a loving husband and doting dad and grandad. Dad was a loving and cheerful character and was well known throughout the village.
'He will not only be missed by us, but by the whole community. Love you forever. Sleep well.'
The lottery winner's son
The youngest victim was the son of a National Lottery millionaire and had moved to Cumbria to be with his fiancee.
Jamie Clark, 23, died when his car crashed after being sprayed with bullets while he was driving through Seascale.
It is believed that the estate agent, who was returning from a client-viewing of a rental property, died from gun wounds and not from the collision with a hedge on the country lane.
Mr Clark had moved to Carlisle with his fiancee Leanne Jarman in 2008 when she started to study at the city's university. The couple had planned to marry in 2012.
Miss Jarman said yesterday: 'He was not just my fiance, but my closest friend. He is my life, my world, my everything.
'Taken too soon, he gave so many people love and joy. He touched so many lives, but he did not realise how cherished he was. We are all truly devastated.' His parents, Richard, 56, and Jane, 51, travelled to Cumbria from their country home in Northall, Buckinghamshire, on Wednesday night.
In 2001, the family's lives were changed when they won a £2.3million Lottery jackpot.
In a statement, they said: 'Our darling son, Jamie, has been taken from us. Our lives will never be the same again. He was the most wonderful, gentle, loving, considerate man.'
Mr Clark's brother Andy, 28, posted an internet message of sympathy.
The charity worker
Susan Hughes, a mother-of-two, was shot dead returning from a shopping trip just 300 yards from her home.
Friends yesterday described the 57-year-old as a 'selfless' charity worker who helped run a disability centre.
Mrs Hughes, a divorcee, lived with her disabled daughter Doreen, 27, before a nearby bungalow was found for her earlier this year.
Her other daughter Melinda, 31, works in Cumbria as a social worker.
Staff at the Copeland Occupational and Social Centre in Cleator Moor described her as a 'lovely' colleague and friend.
Assistant manager Brenda Barry said: 'Sue was full of fun and a very important part of our caring team. She was always planning things for our staff and members to do.
'She was dedicated to her job and will be extremely missed here.'
Man who retired to 'paradise'
Michael Pike was enjoying the 'simple pleasures' of life after retiring to the Cumbrian countryside.
The 64-year-old, who lived with his wife, Sheena and son Jason, 39, was shot dead a few hundred yards from his home on his usual morning bicycle ride in Seascale.
His daughter, Jude Talbot, said he doted on her children, Abigail, 12, and Sam, nine, and his son's daugher Anastjza.
Mrs Talbot, 38, a special needs teacher at Arbour Vale School in Slough, said: 'He was very well known at Sellafield, he was a union shop steward.
'He did an Open University degree when he was 40 and became a management trainer and when he left he was very well respected in the community.
'He loved to ride his bike and walk in the fells. He loved living here, it was his idea of paradise.'
The 'rival' taxi driver
Taxi driver Darren Rewcastle was shot dead after Bird called him over to talk to him.
Bird started his car and fired from his window at pointblank range without warning.
Mr Rewcastle, who was in his 30s, was a 'loveable rogue', friend said.
His parents and six other members of the family laid flowers with handwritten notes by the taxi stand where he died.
The note from his parents said: 'To our darling son Darren, Sleep tight son, no one can hurt you now.
'We love and miss you so much.
'Nana will be looking after you now. Love you forever and always, your broken hearted mum and dad XXXXXX.'
Rugby-playing gentleman
Former professional rugby league player Garry Purdham was shot dead by Bird as he helped his uncle trim hedges.
Friends yesterday said the 31-year-old father-of-two had the 'respect' of the whole sporting community of Cumbria.
He turned professional with nearby Whitehaven in 1999 with his younger brother Rob, who now captains the Harlequins' rugby league side in London.
David Bowden, chairman of Workington Town rugby league club, described him as 'quite simply a gentleman and a real pleasure to know'.
Mr Bowden added: 'He had a wonderful, calm and mature temperament, coupled with a dry sense of humour.
'As a result, he was one of those players that his teammates looked up to.'
She lived with her twin sister
Bird not only murdered Jane Robinson but he ruined the life of her twin sister as well.
Miss Robinson, 66, was shot dead a few hundred yards from the home she shared with twin Barrie in Seascale.
She was featured on ITV in 1998 (pictured above) when the sisters campaigned to save from a cull pigeons contaminated by radioactivity from the nearby Sellafield nuclear plant.
The unmarried woman was killed while going door-to-door delivering Betaware catalogues. She was reported to have been shot when beckoned over to Bird's car.
One local said: 'You could not find two more gentle people than those two sisters.'
The good samaritan
A part-time mole-catcher, Issac Dixon was known as 'Spike' because of his tall and pencilthin build. The 65-year-old was a 'good citizen' who spent his time helping elderly neighbours.
His sister Margaret Earl, 72, said he had been on a molecatching excursion when he was gunned down by a farmer's field. 'He loved the outdoors and was very active,' she said.
The divorced father-of-two and grandfather worked at the Sellafield plant before retiring early due to ill-health.
Neighbours said he gave local pensioners eggs from the hens he kept and would do odd jobs such as washing windows.
Pensioner Alan Thom said: 'He had friends all over the place.'
Four more thoroughly decent people
Kevin Commons, the solicitor shot dead by Bird in the driveway of his farmhouse in Frizington, lived with his second wife Helen. His business partner Markus Nickson said: 'He truly was an exceptional man.'
Ken Fishburn, 72, travelled around the world in the Royal Artillery and was killed 20 yards from his front door. He had also been a security guard at Sellafield. Neighbour Mike Sharkey said: 'Ken was a thoroughly hard-working, decent man.'
James Jackson, a former Sellafield plant manager, and wife Jennifer were enjoying their retirement in the hamlet of Wilton where they were shot. 'They were a very quiet and well-mannered couple,' said a neighbour.
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