A couple who suffered “significant distress” during a police investigation killed themselves in a suicide pact, an inquest heard.
Brian and Sharon Hainsworth were found dead at their home in Calverley by Mrs Hainsworth’s son on August 3 last year after pinning a note to their front door saying “contact the police”.
Mrs Hainsworth, 57, had died from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by fumes from a barbecue the couple lit in their house on Woodhall Road, complicated by an existing heart condition.
Mr Hainsworth, 64, intended to take his life in the same way, but hanged himself after regaining consciousness to discover his wife was already dead.
Their Leeds inquest heard the married couple had faced a police investigation in the months before they died, but knew the matter had been dropped.
Details of the inquiry were not discussed in the inquest, but the YEP understands it related to an incident in which a woman suffered serious injuries when she fell from the window of a flat on Kirkstall Road in Kirkstall in April last year.
Mr and Mrs Hainsworth are understood to have been questioned because they had connections to the property.
The incident turned out to be an accident and charges were never brought.
Coroner David Hinchliff said: “The case was being dropped, but it looks as though they had gone through significant concern and distress.”
The inquest heard Mrs Hainsworth’s son, Ben Foster had gone to the house on the morning of August 3 with a friend of his mother after becoming concerned she was not responding to calls and text messages.
They found a note on the front door telling them to contact the police, but went inside and found the bodies of the couple in separate rooms.
A hand-written note warned about potential carbon monoxide poisoning.
Mr Hinchliff said another note from Mr Hainsworth, written after his wife’s death, expressed distress that they had not “gone together”.
He added: “There were various notes and letters which suggested that what they had found was a deliberate and planned act on the part of Mr and Mrs Hainsworth.”
A post-mortem examination found the couple had taken a cocktail of drugs and alcohol before killing themselves.
Mr Hinchliff said they must have been beset by problems but added: “It does appear that the concerns they would have had over time regarding pending criminal proceedings must have preyed heavily on their minds.”
He recorded suicide verdicts.