A man with chronic heart problems shot himself in the head because he could not bear living anymore, an inquest heard this week.

Andrew Steeden, 66, killed himself at his Downswood home while his wife Lynne Steeden was shopping at Asda.

When she returned to their Bournewood Close home she found her husband of 37 years dead on the floor next to their bed.

The 66-year-old, who suffered from a variety of heart problems and emphysema, was reliant upon an oxygen tank and was homebound.

He left no note but his wife, who was not present at court, said he had become depressed and had asked her to find pills online to help kill himself, which she refused to do.

A statement from her said: “For the last week he was sleeping on the sofa because he was too ill to go upstairs.

“This was the first time he had gone back to the bedroom, where he spent the night.

“I went up in the morning to give him his pills. He had looked better than he had done for weeks. He said ‘do you think so?’

“I returned at 9.45am and it was just him alone in the house. I shut the door, called upstairs and he didn’t answer.

“In the bedroom there was devastation. There was blood everywhere.”

The court also heard that Mr Steeden was a keen shooter who legally possessed three single barrel shotguns.

It was a hobby he had since he was young and he kept the guns in a locked cupboard in the bedroom.

Acting Det Sgt Dan Barker, from Kent Police, told the inquest that a search of the property and blood splatter analysis could not find any evidence of third party involvement.

Assistant coroner Kate Thomas, sitting at County Hall, concluded Mr Steeden took his own life on November 20.

If there is something troubling you, contact the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or email jo@samaritans.org

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