A RETIRED businessman shot his wife and then himself because of 'deep seated matrimonial problems', an inquest has heard.

Former owner of Pearl Lake Leisure Park at Shobdon, William Stirling, 75, and his wife of 50 years, Vera, 74, were found lying side by side on their double bed next to a shotgun, in the early hours of Sunday, June 17.

Giving evidence at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates Court on Tuesday, Detective Constable Gareth Owen of Llandrindod Wells Police Station, said Mr Stirling had dialled 999 shortly before 2am on the Sunday and said two coffins and an undertaker would be needed at Clatterbrune House in Greenfield Road, Presteigne.

DC Owen told coroner John Hollis that Mr Stirling had sent tapes to two of his six children explaining the killings, which they received two days later in the post.

Bedroom

They revealed that Mr Stirling had harboured feelings of mistrust towards his wife and DC Owen said it was clear that Mr Stirling had made a conscious decision to carry out the double shooting.

A note written by Mr Stirling stating the next of kin was found in the hall by police officers arriving at the scene. The bodies of the husband and wife were then discovered in their upstairs bedroom. They both had shotgun wounds to the head and there was a strong smell of cordite in the air from Mr Stirling's gun.

Their bodies were identified by son, Alan Stirling, the same day.

A post mortem examination carried out by Dr Andrew Davison of the University of Wales College of Medicine, confirmed they had both died of gun shot wounds to the head.

DC Owen told the coroner that Mr Stirling was diagnosed with cancer of the bladder eight years ago but he had responded well to treatment.

Mrs Stirling had suffered from cardiovascular disease and was due to under go treatment.

Both had been members of the leisure centre and had enrolled on to a computer course. They had enjoyed regular trips abroad.

The couple bought their rambling five-bedroom home after the sale of the caravan park for a considerable sum of money in 1988 and were found by investigating police officers to be financially secure, said DC Owen.

Before owning the park, Mr Stirling had successfully run an anti-corrosion business which he sold in 1968.

Summing up, Mr Hollis said the transcript of the tape had revealed that the Stirlings' marriage had not been happy, and, coupled with DC Owen's evidence, said the situation had led to their deaths.

Recording the verdicts he said that Mrs Stirling died as a result of unlawful killing and Mr Stirling had taken his own life.