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Dramatic footage captures a murderer beg police officers for a cigarette lighter - moments after killing his partner.

Richard Basson, 45, behaved in an erratic manner and refused to co-operate with officers when they swooped at his address after receiving his reports of an incident.

Bodycam footage shows the killer insist he'll only talk if he is given a cigarette lighter - a request declined by the officers - but he does admit causing girlfriend Carrie Slater's injuries. Basson had claimed to have jabbed at Ms Slater, 37, with a pool cue after she came at him with a carving knife, but officers later found he had actually shot his partner in the forehead at their home in Long Clawson, Leicestershire.

Ms Slater was placed on life support but on September 23 last year, two days after the attack, it was withdrawn and she was pronounced dead by doctors. Basson, already detained for causing grievous bodily harm with intent, was further arrested on suspicion of his partner’s murder.

The killer was convicted of murder yesterday and will be sentenced at Leicester Crown Court today. Police today shared the bodycam footage, taken of the initial arrest at around 6.45pm on September 21 last year.

Basson had made the 999 call himself minutes previous, and asked for support from police and East Midlands Ambulance Service. The killer told the operator Ms Slater "had been stabbed in the face with a pool cue" and made no reference to a gun. Paramedics found the woman with a significant head injury and took her to hospital.

Details of the 999 call were shared to the jury during Basson's murder trial. The transcript below was read to the jurors;

Basson: “I stabbed her in the face with a pool cue but I didn’t mean to stab her, I meant like just warn her and like jab at her and she walked straight into it with her head down.”

Operator: “Okay, so you stabbed her in the face?”

Basson: “I’ve hit her, I’ve hit her directly in the centre of the forehead and then it’s drifted off to her right, my left…

Operator: “Okay and what was it that you used?”

Basson: “Erm a pool cue, brass ended pool cue.”

Officers conducted a routine search of the bungalow, both inside and out, and found a self-loading pistol and four rounds of ammunition – two live and two spent – in the back garden.

On arrival at hospital, Ms Slater underwent scans and it became apparent her injury was in fact a gunshot wound. Basson has "never shown any remorse" for the murder, Leicestershire Constabulary said.

Detective Inspector Emma Matts, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) major crime team, was the senior investigating officer. She said: "My thoughts and condolences go out to Carrie’s family and loved ones, who I know are still struggling to come to terms with their loss and understand why Carrie was killed. Hopefully today’s outcome provides a degree of closure to those who were closest to her.

"Only Basson knows why he killed a woman he claimed to love. He’s never explained his actions. He’s never shown any remorse for killing another person."