A STAFFORD father hanged himself three days after finding out his estranged wife was seeing another man, an inquest heard.
Anthony Smalley was separated from his wife Susan and had been living alone in a first floor flat.
Mrs Smalley told him in June last year she was in a relationship.
Cannock coroner’s court heard Mr Smalley, 52, sent her a text that day saying he was going to end it all and asking her to kiss their daughter.
The hearing was told he was seen by a neighbour the same day and his wife tried to contact him over the weekend, also calling his employers, the Prison Service, who said they had not seen him.
She called the police and PC Christopher Moss was sent to Mr Smalley’s first-floor flat above a garage in Elmfield, Green Lane, Whitgreave.
He told the court the door was open and a key was in the lock. He found Mr Smalley on the stairs.
The inquest heard Mr Smalley had suffered anxiety and depression in the past.
A post mortem confirmed he had died from hanging. Examinations found alcohol in his system at about half the drink drive limits.
No suicide note was found but south Staffordshire coroner Andrew Haigh said Mr Smalley had killed himself.
“I take into account the text to his wife which can be described as a farewell note,” he said. “On the balance of probabilities I accept he had intended to kill himself and this is what he has done.” His verdict was that Mr Smalley killed himself.
