Young farmer shot himself dead minutes after girlfriend's father banned them from seeing each other

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:11 AM on 4th August 2010

A young farmer shot himself dead on New Year's Day just minutes after getting a text message from his girlfriend saying her father wanted them to split up.

The night before his death James Lyon, 21, drunkenly crashed his car while driving home from a Young Farmers' New Year's Eve party with girlfriend Annie Godfrey.

An inquest into his death heard Mr Lyon was two times over the drink drive limit when he crashed his Range Rover into a tree.

The following day he got a text message from Miss Godfrey saying 'Dad's saying if I ever see you again I should leave home. I'm so gutted this has happened and I can't talk to you because everyone's here and they're angry.'

Chelmsford Coroner's Court in Essex heard yesterday that five minutes after getting the text message Mr Lyon's mother Nicolina heard a loud bang from his room, and discovered he had shot himself.

The inquest heard he had written a note in pencil on an RAC document that said:

'Mummy and Daddy, sorry for what it's going to do.'

The court heard that Mr Lyon, from North Benfleet in Essex, drove home from the party in Galleywood despite having booked a hotel room.

Detective Inspector Simon Anslow told the court that police officers spotted his Range Rover speeding about midnight.

'Officers saw him drive around a series of bends and found his car crashed into a tree.'

Mr Lyon was breath tested and spent the night at Rayleigh Police Station and Miss Godfrey was taken to hospital with whiplash and a suspected broken hand.

Later that day Mr Lyon was sent abusive text messages from Miss Godfrey's ex-boyfriend, wrongly claiming she was unable to walk after the crash.

At 1pm he received two text messages from Miss Godfrey, one saying her father did not want her to see him again. Minutes later he killed himself.

Detective Inspector Anslow told the inquest that the gun was licensed to be used by Mr Lyon and his parents, Nicolina and Robert, and had been stored correctly in a secure cabinet.

A post mortem examination found no traces of drugs or alcohol in Mr Lyon's body.

Deputy coroner Eleanor McGann recorded a verdict of suicide.

She said: 'It's my view James was in turmoil. He was already ashamed and deeply regretted what he had done.

'He was very sorry he had injured his girlfriend and didn't know those injuries weren't as serious as they might have been.

'All these circumstances lead me to be sure James Lyon took his own life.'

She told Mr Lyon's family: 'I hope you remember the happy times with him and what a delightful young man he was. This is very sad.'

From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1300164/Farmer-shot-girlfriends-father-banned-seeing-other.html