Inquest hears of Goring couple's shotgun death

A RETIRED journalist and his company manager wife were found dead in the woods with shotgun wounds.

The bodies of the pair, who left suicide notes, were discovered after bailiffs called at their five-bedroom home to inform them they were being evicted.

Seventy-four-year-old John Clive Richardson and his wife Angela, aged 64, both died from shotgun wounds to the chest in the grounds of their mansion home near Goring.

Details of the couple's deaths were revealed today (Thursday) at the opening of an inquest into the incident which happened at sprawling Bensgrove Farm.

The couple were found by police who had been called to the multi-million pound home after the bailiffs failed to get a response at the luxury property but saw a note pinned to the front door.

Oxfordshire coroner Darren Salter heard that bailiffs were going to evict Mr and Mrs Richardson over financial problems.

The bodies were discovered by police officers on Wednesday, June 8.

At the formal inquest opening Mr Salter said of Mr Richardson, who was also a retired publisher: "His death was confirmed at his home address at 10.50am when a police officer verified the death.

"Following a post-mortem examination, the cause of death was listed as a shotgun wound to the chest.

"His body was identified by his brother-in-law."

He added: "Angela Richardson was a married female who was born in Northampton and formerly a company director.

"She was married to John Richardson and she was confirmed to have died at Bensgrove Farm and a police officer verified the death."

In her case, too, a post mortem examination revealed the cause of death to be a shotgun wound to the chest.

Her identity was confirmed by her brother at the John Radcliffe Hospital mortuary in Oxford.

The coroner went on: "The details that have been provided are that John Richardson had been struggling with financial difficulties.

"Bailiffs attended the property for eviction.

"Upon their arrival the enforcement officers found a note on the door, to say they were in the woods at the top of the garden and to notify police.

"Police were notified and reported the bodies of a male and female in the wood, with gunshot injuries.

"A handwritten and a typed note were found inside the property, in the nature of suicide notes."

The coroner confirmed that inquiries into the deaths were ongoing and that the next inquest hearing into the couple's deaths will take place on January 18 next year.