Builder strangled partner and then hanged himself

A suspicious builder killed his partner and then hanged himself at their farmhouse after wrongly accusing her of having an affair, an inquest has heard

Tracy Cockrell, 51, was found strangled on the sofa of their isolated country farmhouse with partner Nigel McGrath, 45, hanged from a rafter.

The inquest heard how pair were together for less than two years - and had made a fresh start moving from Yorkshire into a rural farmhouse near Machynlleth.

Her sister Sharon Rogers told the inquest how Tracy had "finally found a happy life" after moving to Wales.

But jealous McGrath became convinced that carer Tracy had an affair on a return trip to Rotherham in Yorkshire.

The hearing was told the pair began "continuously arguing" as he accused her of cheating on him. She told friends that McGrath was a "bully".

She said McGrath had accused her of being unfaithful and didn't believe her denials.

Her daughter Adele Johnson, 28, said: "He became jealous and controlling. My mother was a person who loved caring for people."

The inquest heard Tracy was found dead on the sofa in the farmhouse in April

Police were called and soon found McGrath hanging from a rafter in the outbuilding.

The inquest at Welshpool heard his former wife Heather had made a complaint to South Yorkshire Police in late 2012 over domestic abuse.

Andrew Barkley, senior coroner for South Wales and Central concluded that Miss Cockrell was unlawfully killed, as a result of a trauma from pressure to the face and neck.

He concluded that McGrath committed suicide and died from hanging.