Failing health led to pig-cot shooting (From Western Telegraph)

Failing health led to pig-cot shooting

6:10pm Saturday 8th December 2012 in News

A 70-year-old retired farm manager shot himself because a “decline in his health troubled him to a point where he no longer wanted to live”, the Pembrokeshire coroner has ruled.

Summing-up, Pembrokeshire Coroner Mark Layton said Philip Adrian O’Donnell, of Merrion, St Twynells, killed himself.

Mr O’Donnell, a father-of-two, was found in a pig-cot at his home on August 31st by his wife, Diana O’Donnell.

Mr O’Donnell was found with a shotgun and a gunshot wound to his head.

Mr O’Donnell had taken medication for asthma all his life and had later struggled to breathe. He could not walk more than 50 yards, leaving him frustrated and having a negative outlook on life, the inquest was told.

Mr O’Donnell had been in hospital and visited the doctors in the weeks leading up to his death.

On the morning of August 31st, Mrs O’Donnell had gone out and when she returned home she found a letter attached to the door saying he was in the pig-cot and had taken his own life.

Mrs O’Donnell’s statement said she was not surprised because her husband had said if his health deteriorated he knew what he would do.

Mrs O’Donnell said she hoped his actions had bought him some peace because he deserved that and was a well-respected man.