A British millionaire businessman who was shot dead by his ex-girlfriend in his home on the Costa del Sol was unlawfully killed, a coroner has ruled.
Andrew Bush, 48, was shot once in the arm and twice in the head by Slovakian model Mayka Kukucova, 29, at his home in Estepona area of Malaga in April 2014.
In 2016, Kukucova was jailed for more than 15 years after being found guilty of Bush’s murder by a Spanish court. She had her sentence reduced to 13 years upon appeal.
At Kukucova’s trial in 2016, the court heard how she had become “obsessed” with Bush, known as the Mr Bling of Marbella, after their split in November. She was said to have begun stalking him and, from April 2, 2014 – three days prior to his death – had been in his house in Malaga, Spain, without his consent.
Avon Coroner’s Court resumed the inquest into Bush’s death, because his family had repatriated his body to the UK earlier this year from Spain, where he had been interred shortly after his death.
No members of Bush’s family attended the inquest as Assistant Coroner Dr Peter Harrowing summarised evidence from Spanish legal documents which had been translated into English.
Dr Harrowing said the former Bristol-based jewellery store owner and Kukucova had split up six months before his death.
In the early hours of April 5, Bush returned to the house with his new girlfriend, Russian student Maria Korotaeva, and asked Kukucova to leave.
“Mr Bush invited his ex-girlfriend to leave and he also told his current partner to return to his car and call the police as Miss Kukucova did not wish to leave the premises,” Dr Harrowing said.
“No call was made to the police at that time.
“Mr Bush’s partner then heard an argument between Miss Kukucova and Mr Bush, which was interrupted when Bush came out of the house in order to speak to his current partner for a few minutes, after which he returned to the house.
“On returning to the house the accused person, Miss Kukucova, was waiting for Mr Bush and unexpectedly made use of a firearm with which she shot Mr Bush up to three times – moved by her desire to end his life.
“Because of the unpredictable nature of the attack and characteristics, Mr Bush did not have the possibility to react and defend himself and his death occurred.
“The first shot was to his left arm and the other two shots to his head.
“The first shot was made at a distance of more than 1.5 metres, the second shot was made from a long distance and the third and last shot, which also struck the head, was made after Mr Bush had been injured by the previous gunshots and was made from a much shorter distance.”
Kukucova fled the scene in Bush’s Hummer 4x4 and days later handed herself in to the Slovakian authorities before being extradited to Spain.
A post-mortem examination carried out in Spain concluded Bush died from a gunshot wound to the head.
Dr Harrowing recorded a conclusion of unlawful killing.
“I am not permitted to record a conclusion in this court which is at odds with another conclusion in a criminal matter,” he said.
“I am not here to deal with matters of civil or criminal liability and neither can I name anyone in any conclusion I return.
“Having heard the evidence I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that I can record the conclusion that the death of Andrew Bush was one of unlawful killing.”
Bush was well known in his home city of Bristol for his jewellery business and was previously married to former BBC radio presenter Sam Mason – mother of his daughter, Ellie.
Days after his death, Korotaeva said: “There’s no way of putting into words how you feel when somebody you love is killed right there in front of you.
“We had so many plans for the future and now there’s nothing.”
Of the night of the murder, she said: “When we got there it looked different. Things had been moved and there was nothing of mine. All her clothes were there.
“When I went into a room and saw her it was a shock. She was wearing pyjamas. There was so much security I could not work out how she had got in.
“When I saw her I ran out the house and locked myself in the car. I did not want a problem. I did not want any drama.
“Andy came out and said not to worry. It was all fine. He said she was a crazy bitch. That she was an illegal and he would get her out the house.”