'See you again ... if I haven't been killed' Chilling prophesy from wife bludgeoned to death by husband who killed himself.

Byline: KATIE GRANT

HE spent his life working hard to build up his own business.

But Kenneth Mann became so depressed after retirement that he killed his wife and then himself in the home they shared.

A Huddersfield inquest heard details of the couple's final hours, and how Mr Mann found life hard to face without the daily grind of the workplace.

The 81-year-old had packed in his job running a plastics factory in 2000, aged 72, and struggled with his mental health ever since.

Mr Mann, who had no children but lived with loving wife Doreen, 80, was under care from the local authority for most of the years that followed.

In the days leading up to their deaths at their home in Thornhill Edge, officials of the South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SWYPNFT) were given no indication about the awful events about to unfold.

Yesterday, the hearing was told how Mrs Mann was found bludgeoned to death in the lounge while her husband was found drowned in the bath.

The inquest heard the details of the deaths of Doreen and Kenneth, who were found dead just before Christmas last year.

Det Sgt Lawrie, from West Yorkshire Police's murder inquiry team in Bradford, said he believed Mrs Mann, 80, was killed unlawfully while husband Kenneth, 81, took his own life.

Mr Mann had been suffering from mental illness prior to the incident.

Det Sgt Lawrie said no-one else was involved in the deaths at the rural house on Foxroyd Lane, Thornhill on December 23 last year.

He said coroner Roger Whittaker should know that a witness had visited Doreen, a retired sales rep, prior to her death and Doreen had said: "I will see you again if I haven't been killed."

Det Sgt Lawrie added: "The witness thought it was a strange comment but took it more in jest than seriously."

Two days before Christmas Day last year Mrs Mann was found by police slumped on the floor in the lounge.

A psychiatric nurse visiting the couple raised the alarm.

Mrs Mann was found with wounds on her neck and wrists and head.

The sofa was splattered heavily with blood. A hammer and a knife were found nearby.

A statement from pathologist Alfredo Walker said Mrs Mann was attacked by someone who used a 'blunt weapon' and a 'sharp cutting implement'.

Mr Mann, a retired factory owner, was found face-down in a bath filled with water.

He was still wearing his white vest, underpants and socks while his blood-stained trousers and top were found on the floor.

Mr Mann's psychiatrist, Dr Vinod Shukla said he first met Mr Mann in 2002 when he was complaining of depression.

He told the inquest Mr Mann had told him he wished he was dead.

Mr Shukla said: "Having known him for all these years he struck me as quite energetic and motivated and quite rigid in his thinking."

Mr Shukla believed Mr Mann may had began suffering from depression after retiring from work as factory manager.

His depression went away for a while, but came back in 2008 when he told his GP sometimes he thought he would go down to the local canal and drown himself.

Mr Shukla said there was never any indication that Mr Mann would harm his wife.

Mr Mann's brother-in-law Stuart Smith said he was 'amazed' Doreen hadn't said anything to doctors.

He said she had expressed her worries about Mr Mann's mental state to her sister, Barbara Moore.

Barbara added: "We all tried to advise her to leave him." Coroner Roger Whittaker said Mrs Mann had died from her wounds.

He said: "Certainly, some of these injuries couldn't have been self-induced.

"It's clear that she was killed by another and I'm satisfied that was the cause."

Mr Whittaker recorded a verdict of unlawful killing for Mrs Mann.

He said Mr Mann had died from drowning and had taken his own life.

He added: "I'm also satisfied that he intended the consequences of his actions by placing himself in the bath with his underwear on and his socks.

"The drowning must have been self-induced.

He said Mr Mann's mind was "disturbed" at the time when he and Mrs Mann died.

He said the deaths of Mr and Mrs Mann had been a "double tragedy".

CAPTION(S):

* DEATH: Ken and Doreen Mann and (left) their home om Foxroyd Lane, Thornhill Edge