A man hanged himself in the garden shed after his girlfriend refused to commit herself to their relationship, an inquest heard.

But Coroner David Hinchcliff said that Andrew Hawley, a father of two, probably didn't intend to kill himself, but had hoped to be found.

He recorded a verdict of misadventure on Mr Hawley, of Weston Drive, Otley, saying it was likely that he expected his girlfriend to discover him before he was dead.

The Leeds inquest heard that Mr Hawley had enjoyed a night out around Otley town centre's pubs with his girlfriend, Lorraine Atkinson, a week last Saturday.

They went back to her house at 10pm for a meal, and got into a discussion about the state of their relationship.

The 38-year-old divorcee was demanding a greater commitment from her, but she was unwilling to give it.

As she went up to bed, he asked her where the keys were for the garden shed. When she asked him what he was doing, Mr Hawley replied: "You will see."

The inquest heard that because the couple's camping equipment was in the shed, she thought he might have intended sleeping in the shed and so she went to bed.

She fell asleep immediately and did not suspect anything was wrong when she woke up at 8am the following morning.

It was then that she found her boyfriend hanging from a roof joint in the shed with a piece of electrical flex around his neck.

A statement by Lorraine Atkinson said: "I can only believe that he expected me to follow him so I would find him before he died."

A brief statement read out at the inquest by Mr Hawley's father said he could not believe his son intended to take his own life - and added that he did not blame anyone for his son's death.

He said he fervently believed that his son thought his girlfriend would follow him to the shed.

"In no way do we blame anyone for these tragic events," he said.

As he recorded a verdict of misadventure, coroner David Hinchcliff said: "The reason put forward by the family on this incident is not unreasonable. It would be wrong of me to record a suicide verdict unless I was satisfied that there was sufficient evidence of intent.

"Andrew needed a commitment of life-long love, but his girlfriend felt unable to give him the reassurances that he sought.

"It is likely that he expected his girlfriend to follow him to the shed and that the sight of him trying to commit suicide would have given her the jolt he thought was needed to make her commit to him."

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