Inquest on Newport gunman

A coroner has heard how a former club doorman from Newport shot and seriously injured his wife after learning that she had had a brief relationship with another man while they were estranged.

The body of Darren Williams was found hours later, hanging from a tree.

Weeks later, the couple's 16-year-old son was found, also hanged, close to where his father had been found dead.

Today the coroner found that Darren Williams killed himself 'suffering from an imbalance of mind'.

David Wood reports.

Rachel Williams had to have reconstructive surgery on her leg, after she was shot and injured by her estranged husband.

The inquest today heard Darren Williams would have been charged with attempting to murder his wife, had he not taken his own life.

The couple's 16-year-old son Jack was found hanged five weeks after the shooting, in woods close to where his father had been found dead.

An inquest into his death will be held on Thursday.

Last November a Serious Case Review, led by Newport Safeguarding Children Board and Newport Community Safety Partnership, criticised a lack of co-ordination in the agencies meant to safeguard the teenager after the shooting, and his father's death.

A separate report, from the Independent Police Complaints Commission, focused on Gwent Police needing to improve their handling of reports of domestic abuse.

Read More: Criticism over Newport shooting

Gwent Coroner David Bowen has recorded that Darren Williams killed himself while suffering from an imbalance of mind.

The inquest has also heard from Darren Williams' sister, Rachael, who he was living with in August 2011.

She said he was "sort of coming to terms" with the break-up of his marriage.

On the day itself, he left her house to go the gym. He phoned her just before the shooting to say "I love you."

Police confirmed Mr Williams was on bail at the time, accused of domestic assault, which was reported a month before the shooting.

He was found hanged in woods near the M4 on the night of the shooting.A pathologist has confirmed his cause of death was a result of pressure on the neck.The coroner has retired to consider his verdict.

An inquest is being held into the death of a man who was found hanging in a wood, hours after he shot and injured his estranged wife.

Darren Williams, 46 and from Newport, opened fire on a Rachel Williams in a hair salon in the city in 2011. Their 16-year-old son was found hanged six weeks later.

The inquest has heard this morning from his estranged wife. In a statement, she said Darren suffered from depression. They had been together since 1993, and he had been "violent, jealous, possessive and controlling."

She said that, ten days before the shooting, she ended their marriage after he tried to strangle her.

On 19 August 2011, he went into Carol Ann hairdressers, where she was working, the inquest was told. He took a shotgun out a bag, and shot her, shouting "I love you." She wrestled the gun from him as he tried to reload. He then left the shop.