An unemployed man who was found dead in a field shot himself in the head with a crossbow, an inquest heard on Monday.

Andrew Budd was discovered in the passenger seat of his car, which was two metres off Knock Mill Lane, Wrotham, on January 6.

The 33-year-old had also intended his vehicle to catch fire following his death but this did not happen.

Det Sgt Jason Booth, from Tonbridge CID, investigated Mr Budd’s death.

"The vehicle was locked and officers forced entry. He was in the passenger seat with a crossbow on his hip” - Det Sgt Jason Booth

He told coroner Roger Hatch, who was sitting in Gravesend’s Old Town Hall, that he did not believe Mr Budd’s passing was suspicious.

There were no signs of a struggle and a note, addressed to Mr Budd’s father, was found at his flat.

Det Sgt Booth told the court that Mr Budd’s body was discovered by a local resident at 8.30am.

“When response officers arrived at the location he was found in a Mazda RX-8 just off the road in a field,” he said.

“They checked the vehicle and located him deceased in the passenger seat. The vehicle was locked and officers forced entry.

“He was in the passenger seat with a crossbow on his hip.”

A post mortem carried out at Tunbridge Wells Hospital by pathologist Dr Dominic Chambers on January 12 supports the findings by the police.

It gives the cause of death as penetrating wound to the head.

Before his death Mr Budd had been living alone in Sidcup for four years but seemed content when he saw his family for the last time on New Year’s Day.

After leaving Chislehurst Grammar School he had two short term jobs before joining Target Finders Ltd, which was run by his father Arthur Budd, in 2000.

Mr Budd worked there for 13 years and found the job the stressful.

When his father announced he intended to retire Mr Budd did not want to continue working.

After hearing the evidence Mr Hatch concluded Mr Budd took his own life and expressed his sympathy to his family.

The Samaritans can be contacted via email on jo@samaritans.org or by calling 08457 90 90 90.

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