Dad's death days after row; Man 'shot himself'.

Byline: By LAURA CAROE

THE family of a young dad found dead with a gunshot wound will never know what happened in the final moments of his life.

Mark Mason was found in his bedroom by ex-girlfriend Stacey Leathart just feet away from an antique gun.

A few days before the 24-year-old died, he was arrested after an argument had started between the couple, who had been together for five years.

The inquest at Newcastle Civic Centre heard how Mark came to accept the relationship was on a downward spiral and he was thinking of going to work in Bristol.

But when Stacey returned from taking their daughter to school, she found Mark on his bedroom floor with a single gunshot wound. Paramedics attended the scene in Linden Avenue, Fenham, Newcastle, and confirmed Mark was dead.

Det Sgt David English, who was involved in the investigation, said a two-foot singlebarrel antique gun was found next to Mark's body on the floor. Police inquiries into where the gun came from are ongoing. Mark did not have a gun licence.

Det Sgt English said: "On September 14 it appears the relationship was in a downward spiral, words were exchanged in an argument and threats were made.

"Stacey had left the house and the police had been called. After that it appears Mark became more accepting of the situation that they were going to go their separate ways.

"But Stacey found him on the floor after she had taken their daughter to school.

Weeks earlier she had heard him rustling around upstairs and she had seen a pellet gun on the bed. She was very frightened of guns and asked him to remove it. She didn't see it again and believed it had been removed."

Mark's parents, James and Kim, and his ex-girlfriend Stacey were too upset to comment after the inquest.

Newcastle coroner David Mitford recorded an open verdict, saying: "Mark's death was caused by a gunshot which was probably inflicted by himself but I have no evidence he was trying to harm himself."