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| Gunman hanged himself after shooting wife with shotgun | Gunman hanged himself after shooting wife with shotgun |
| (4 months later) | |
| A gunman burst in on his wife at work and blasted her with a shotgun in an attempt to murder her after learning she was having an affair, an inquest has heard. | A gunman burst in on his wife at work and blasted her with a shotgun in an attempt to murder her after learning she was having an affair, an inquest has heard. |
| Darren Williams was described by members of his family as a gentle giant after the hearing in Newport, South Wales. | Darren Williams was described by members of his family as a gentle giant after the hearing in Newport, South Wales. |
| Earlier they had listened to details of how he tried to kill Rachel Williams, 41, in a point-blank gun attack in August 2011. | Earlier they had listened to details of how he tried to kill Rachel Williams, 41, in a point-blank gun attack in August 2011. |
| The violent murder attempt came days after he had learned that his wife was having an affair with a solicitor who had previously represented him, the inquest heard. | The violent murder attempt came days after he had learned that his wife was having an affair with a solicitor who had previously represented him, the inquest heard. |
| The attack left her with serious injuries, needing an immediate 10-hour operation to save her left leg, and later extensive reconstructive surgery. | The attack left her with serious injuries, needing an immediate 10-hour operation to save her left leg, and later extensive reconstructive surgery. |
| Mr Williams, a two-metre-tall (6ft 7in) former club doorman and keep-fit fanatic who weighed 130kg (20st) and used steroids, fled after the shooting, leaving his wife seriously injured on the floor. Within hours he was found hanging from a tree at a nearby beauty spot after a major manhunt by armed police. | Mr Williams, a two-metre-tall (6ft 7in) former club doorman and keep-fit fanatic who weighed 130kg (20st) and used steroids, fled after the shooting, leaving his wife seriously injured on the floor. Within hours he was found hanging from a tree at a nearby beauty spot after a major manhunt by armed police. |
| An inquest in Newport on Tuesday recorded a verdict of suicide, concluding it was carried out while Mr Williams was suffering an imbalance of the mind. | An inquest in Newport on Tuesday recorded a verdict of suicide, concluding it was carried out while Mr Williams was suffering an imbalance of the mind. |
| While the verdict was accepted by Mr Williams's family, they said they disagreed with key facts put forward in the hearing. | While the verdict was accepted by Mr Williams's family, they said they disagreed with key facts put forward in the hearing. |
| His sister, Jackie Williams, told the inquest that her brother had never intended to kill his estranged wife. She said he wanted revenge and intended to scare her so much that she would not leave him. | His sister, Jackie Williams, told the inquest that her brother had never intended to kill his estranged wife. She said he wanted revenge and intended to scare her so much that she would not leave him. |
| Other family members said he had blamed himself for the breakdown of their marriage until he learned of the affair. | Other family members said he had blamed himself for the breakdown of their marriage until he learned of the affair. |
| The Gwent coroner David Bowen told the court Mrs Williams had been advised by a doctor not to attend the inquest. | The Gwent coroner David Bowen told the court Mrs Williams had been advised by a doctor not to attend the inquest. |
| He went on to read out a statement from her outlining how she had lived with Mr Williams since meeting him in 1993 and married him in 2005. | He went on to read out a statement from her outlining how she had lived with Mr Williams since meeting him in 1993 and married him in 2005. |
| "From the start of our relationship he was violent towards me and was jealous, possessive and controlling," she said. "As long as he could have his own way it was fine. He was intimidating and knew as far as I was concerned he could do what he liked." | "From the start of our relationship he was violent towards me and was jealous, possessive and controlling," she said. "As long as he could have his own way it was fine. He was intimidating and knew as far as I was concerned he could do what he liked." |
| She said Mr Williams had been told by his doctor not to use steroids when on anti-depressants because they could make him "unpredictable". | She said Mr Williams had been told by his doctor not to use steroids when on anti-depressants because they could make him "unpredictable". |
| In July 2011, before the shooting, Mr Williams had tried to strangle her in a violent assault at home in front of their teenage son. That had been the moment when she realised their marriage was over. | In July 2011, before the shooting, Mr Williams had tried to strangle her in a violent assault at home in front of their teenage son. That had been the moment when she realised their marriage was over. |
| On the day of the shooting, she was working at Carol-Ann's hair salon in Newport when Mr Williams burst in carrying a black sports bag. She said that almost immediately he pulled out a sawn-off shotgun. | On the day of the shooting, she was working at Carol-Ann's hair salon in Newport when Mr Williams burst in carrying a black sports bag. She said that almost immediately he pulled out a sawn-off shotgun. |
| "I immediately shouted: 'Dar, no,' and he hit me in the face with the barrel of the shotgun." | "I immediately shouted: 'Dar, no,' and he hit me in the face with the barrel of the shotgun." |
| She said she raised her leg as he fired the first of two shots and shouted: "Rach, I love you." | She said she raised her leg as he fired the first of two shots and shouted: "Rach, I love you." |
| She managed to get a grip on the gun as she tried to move out of its sight: "As I did so, my husband kicked me and stamped on my face but I managed to retain my grip on the barrel." | She managed to get a grip on the gun as she tried to move out of its sight: "As I did so, my husband kicked me and stamped on my face but I managed to retain my grip on the barrel." |
| Mr Williams then fled the scene. "I never saw him again," she said. | Mr Williams then fled the scene. "I never saw him again," she said. |
| The statement told how Mrs Williams had spent time with a solicitor who had previously represented her husband. | The statement told how Mrs Williams had spent time with a solicitor who had previously represented her husband. |
| The inquest heard that Mr Williams was arrested in the weeks before the shooting after a report that he had threatened to kill the solicitor. | The inquest heard that Mr Williams was arrested in the weeks before the shooting after a report that he had threatened to kill the solicitor. |
| Detective Inspector Justin O'Keefe, giving evidence, said he had headed the inquiry into the shooting in August. He said Mr Williams had been known to the police previously because of a "number of domestic incidents between the couple". | Detective Inspector Justin O'Keefe, giving evidence, said he had headed the inquiry into the shooting in August. He said Mr Williams had been known to the police previously because of a "number of domestic incidents between the couple". |
| He said that, at the time of his death, he had been on bail in relation to a domestic offence, which he denied. | He said that, at the time of his death, he had been on bail in relation to a domestic offence, which he denied. |
| Had he survived after the shooting on 19 August, he would have been charged with the attempted murder of his wife, O'Keefe told the inquest. | Had he survived after the shooting on 19 August, he would have been charged with the attempted murder of his wife, O'Keefe told the inquest. |
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