Jurors at the trial of David Oakes were told that the double murder suspect had reached the point of no return after shooting his former partner.

Oakes, 50, is accused of the double murder of former partner Christine Chambers and their two-year-old daughter Shania in Bartram Avenue, Braintree on June 6.

The suspect only appeared in the dock briefly during the prosecution’s closing statements this morning, but later returned to listen to defence barrister Nigel Lithman.

Chelmsford Crown Court were told that Oakes was fixated and could not imagine his daughter calling anybody else daddy.

In his final address, prosecutor Orlando Pownall said that Oakes had sent Miss Chambers a text saying “If you aren’t with me you will not be with anybody else”.

The deaths took place the night before Oakes and Miss Chambers were due to attend a family court hearing about custody for Shania.

Mr Pownall said: “Why would anyone shoot their daughter?

“The answer is somebody who was highly aroused and lacked a sense of judgement or reason and who had determined to end his own life and those of the ones he claimed to love.”

The prosecutor said that Miss Chambers, on the other hand, had never threatened to kill a child and was expecting to be granted custody the following day.

The court heard that after shooting Miss Chambers, Oakes realised his chances of seeing his daughter were gone.

Mr Pownall said : ““He had reached the point of no return and he realised that he was never going to see Shania again having done the dreadful things he had done.”

The prosecution stated that it was not possible that Shania had been shot accidentally or by Miss Chambers, and stated that Oakes alone was responsible.

But defence barrister Mr Lithman urged jurors not to return a guilty verdict because of a lack of certainty.

He said: “There is no evidence that Christine Chambers wanted to end Shania’s life, nor is there a jot of evidence that David Oakes did either.”

“He is keen to ensure that the world knows he didn’t shoot his daughter.”

The trial continues.