A MUCH-loved son and father-of-two tragically took his own life in a 'deliberate act', an inquest has heard.
During the inquest into the death of 39-year-old Jonathan Cork, a coroner shared his sympathy for the grief that had fallen on his family since his passing.
Jonathan, also known as Corky, of Pennington Drive in Carlisle, died on April 24, 2022.
Jonathan's partner returned home from work after a nightshift on the morning of April 24, only to discover that smoke was coming from the family home with access to the front door also being blocked.
She raised the alarm with emergency services and neighbours who arrived on scene to help. Members of Cumbria's Fire and Rescue Service went on to discover that Jonathan had died on the first floor of the family home.
Jonathan, who attended Norman Street Primary School, was described by his mother at the inquest as a 'happy child', always 'active and adventurous'.
"He always had a good selection of friends and he always knew right from wrong," she said.
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The inquest heard how the father-of-two was devoted to his children, with him quitting his job to look after them in their early years.
His mother said that her son had hidden a lot in the year leading up to his death, including problems he was having within his relationship.
Jonathan's mother said she asked him on April 23 if he was doing okay, to which he said he was 'fine' but she said she thought it was strange that he had given his jewellery to his children.
Prior to his death, Jonathan met a close friend for a drink in Carlisle's city centre who described the father as his 'usual happy self'. His friend described the events that followed as 'not in his character'.
A sample of his blood revealed that Jonathan had 11 per cent of carboxyhemoglobin within his system as a result of breathing in carbon monoxide from the 'deliberately started fire', but not in the range associated with fatalities.
Coroner Dr Nicholas Shaw concluded that he did not die as a result of the fire but of a separate deliberate act in which he intended to take his own life.
"I feel for everyone, especially the children, who at a stroke lost their home and their father. I'm very sorry for you all," the coroner said.
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