June 13, 2017 9.26 am This story is over 81 months old

Council official and wife killed themselves in suicide pact after emailing police to apologise

A former South Holland District Council environmental health officer and his headteacher wife committed suicide by suffocating themselves, an inquest has heard. Sean Lawson, 50, and his wife Mary, 63, were found dead at their home in Rugby, Warwickshire on May 28. Police said that they were not treating the incident as suspicious and were…
Sean and Mary Lawson were both found dead at their home. Photo: Diocese of Leicester

A former South Holland District Council environmental health officer and his headteacher wife committed suicide by suffocating themselves, an inquest has heard.

Sean Lawson, 50, and his wife Mary, 63, were found dead at their home in Rugby, Warwickshire on May 28.

Police said that they were not treating the incident as suspicious and were not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.

An inquest at Warwickshire Justice Centre on Wednesday, June 7, heard that the couple died as a result of asphyxiation.

Detective Inspector Paul Thompson, of Warwickshire Police, told the inquest: “The circumstances are the deceased’s husband sent an email to police on May 27 at 6.58pm with a time delay.

“It said ‘apologies for this’ and by the time it had arrived to police the deceased and her husband had passed over.”

Mary Lawson had suffered a stroke two years earlier, and required a wheelchair.

Adjourning the inquest until September, Warwickshire Coroner Sean McGovern said: “I offer my condolences to the family of Mr and Mrs Lawson.”