‘Inseparable’ identical twin brothers, 52, hanged themselves from same tree in double suicide pact after spending £40,000 they inherited from their mother
- Bodies of Neil and Paul Micklewright were found in a park in Greater Manchester
- Notes found in their pockets were described as ‘essentially identical’ by coroner
- Inquest heard they had run into money troubles before they took their own lives
Identical twin brothers were found hanged from the same tree in a double suicide pact after spending their mother’s £40,000 inheritance, an inquest heard.
The bodies of Neil and Paul Micklewright were found by a dog walker at a park in Greater Manchester at about 8.40am on Tuesday, July 31, last year.
Notes found in their pockets were described as ‘essentially identical’ by assistant coroner Jason Wells.
The bodies of Neil and Paul Micklewright were found by a dog walker at a park in Greater Manchester at about 8.40am on Tuesday, July 31, last year. Police are pictured at the scene
The Stockport coroners court inquest heard the 52-year-old twins, who were described as ‘gentle, kind and generous’, had lived together in Urmston their entire lives.
They first lived with their parents – Ron, who died in 1990, and Joan, who died in 2014 – before moving into their own flat.
Sister Julie Gillaspy described the Manchester City-supporting twins as ‘introverted’ and said they ‘relied on each other most of the time’.
‘They were very close, sometimes to the exclusion of others,’ she added.
The inquest heard that in the months before their deaths the brothers had suffered financial troubles.
Neil and Paul, on-off warehouse workers who survived through occasional agency shifts, had their benefits stopped after receiving a £40,000 inheritance following the death of their mother.
At the time of their death they had just a few pounds left in their bank accounts.
Mrs Gillaspy said she had ‘struggled to understand why this had happened’, but believed the brothers were ‘too proud’ to go back on benefits and that their money worries may have played a part in their decision to take their own lives.
She added: ‘I think they struggled socially and I think it all just got on top of them.
‘They were very proud people who perhaps weren’t dealt the best hand in life.’
Notes found in their pockets were described as ‘essentially identical’ by assistant coroner Jason Wells. Pictured: Police at the park on July 31
Coroner’s officer David Wood told the inquest that when officers searched the brothers’ flat they found it had been left in order.
Financial documents had been arranged in folders, the fridge and freezer emptied and defrosted, the fish tank emptied and cleaned and clothes packed away in plastic bags.
Electrical appliances had also been switched off, the batteries removed from the smoke alarms and beds stripped down.
Similar longer notes to those found on the brothers were also ‘neatly laid out’ on a table.
Describing the notes assistant coroner Jason Wells said: ‘They offer no explanation, simply that they had had enough.’
A post-mortem examination gave both brothers’ cause of death as hanging.
Giving a conclusion of suicide Mr Wells said the deaths ‘appeared to be a well-planned event’.
He added: ‘All suicides are tragic but the death of two brothers in these circumstances is particularly tragic.’
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