Depressed man left suicide phone message

A computer programmer who had fallen into debt recorded a suicide answering machine message before hanging himself, an inquest has heard.

Lyn Riley, 46, had telephoned her husband from Prague and heard the message, which said: "This is the voice of Rowland Riley. Don't leave a message unless you have got a damn good medium."

Mrs Riley rang police and they went to the couple's house in Chepstow, Monmouthshire, where they found the 68-year-old hanging at the rear of the house.

Notes had been pinned to his body and left in the house.

Suicide 'pact'

The inquest in Tredegar heard the couple had fallen into debt as a result of a long-running dispute with the council planning department.

There had also been rows with solicitors and their neighbours, the inquest heard.

Mrs Riley told the hearing the stress of the wrangles had left her husband suffering from depression.

She said they had considered committing suicide together and added she was surprised he had taken his own life alone.

She said her husband had "weighed up the alternatives" and decided to take his own life.

"My husband told me that he would not go without me, and that is why I was surprised.

'Miss him dearly'

"Everything Rowland ever did for me was out of love and not cowardice, and I miss him dearly."

The couple had been married 23 years.

The inquest was told by pathologist Dr Ian Thompson that Mr Riley died in June from asphyxiation brought on by hanging.

Gwent's assistant deputy coroner Wendy James said: "For 13 years, Mr Riley had been under severe strain with disputes over boundary and planning matters.

"I am in no doubt that he deliberately took his own life."

He recorded a verdict of suicide.