A man who shot himself mistakenly believed he was suffering from a fatal asbestos-related disease, an inquest heard.

Jobless builder John May, 53, of no fixed address, was found dead in his car in a secluded Billericay car park on Friday September 11, with a note beside him.

He died of shotgun injuries inflicted at very close range from a sawn-off shotgun discovered underneath his vehicle.

Home Office forensic pathologist, Dr David Rouse said: "A 12-bore shotgun is capable of up to around 20 feet of travel following discharge."

During the post mortem he found evidence of previous exposure to asbestos. Though there was scarring on the lungs and some emphysema, he said "there was no evidence of a malignant mesothelioma."

This was the disease Mr May had watched a friend die from, and he maintained he would not suffer the ravages of the same condition.

In earlier years he had worked with asbestos at Battersea Power Station, and went for annual lung checks at London Chest Hospital.

However, he stopped going in 1992 after something was found in his lungs.

Mr May, who had lived in St John's Road, Clacton, was separated from his wife, Ann, but they remained good friends, and her statement was read to the inquest at the Shire Hall, Chelmsford.

She said: "I noticed he was getting short of breath, was wheezy and his hands were shaking. It was getting worse. He always said if he had an asbestos-related disease, he would not die from it."

On the day of his death Mr May had asked his wife if they could get back together, as they had done after previous separations.

She said: "I had to say no. We loved each other, but couldn't live together."

Mr May was believed to have shot himself while sitting on the bank in the car park at Queens Country Park and struggled, fatally wounded, back into his vehicle.

Coroner, Dr Malcolm Weir's verdict was that Mr May took his own life.

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