DOUBLE murder suspect Brian Newcombe hanged himself because he could
not face the guilt of being convicted, an inquest jury decided
yesterday.
Newcombe, 52, had been hunted by police in north Yorkshire for the
murder of pensioner Jack Shuttleworth at Ingleton.
Scottish police also sought Newcombe for the murder of Glaswegian
widow Margaret McOnie, 55, at Tongue in Sutherland.
She fell in love with Newcombe while on a walking holiday and phoned
relatives to say he had proposed to her.
They spent three days together at a guest house in the village, where
Mrs McOnie was last seen alive on August 16.
Detectives believe Mrs McOnie was attacked from behind with a rock and
that she may have been murdered because she knew too much.
Newcombe later returned to Tongue and struck up an acquaintance with
another woman. He gave her rings, later identified as belonging to Mrs
McOnie, and also spoke of buying a hotel together at nearby Durness.
A prison officer found Newcombe hanging from the bars of his cell
window at Armley prison, Leeds, on November 13. He left three suicide
notes.
Newcombe, an unemployed motor mechanic of Huthwaite, near
Sutton-in-Ashfield, Notts, was being held on remand in connection with
the two deaths.
Leeds coroner Mr Philip Gill said the three letters were written to
Newcombe's wife, mother, and solicitor.
In the letter to his solicitor, read out by Mr Gill, Newcombe made it
clear he had killed himself rather than face the guilt.
He also indicated that he wished to shield his loved ones from anguish
and hurt, and being hounded by the media.
The letter read: ''I take this decision to end my life with a clear
and well-balanced mind -- in fact, it has never been more clear.''
Newcombe said of the prison authorities: ''They have treated me with
consideration and kindness. They are blameless.''
In a statement at the opening of the inquest, his wife, Penny, said
her husband admitted committing the two offences in Ingleton and Tongue.
The coroner said that although Newcombe was found hanging at three
minutes past midnight on November 13, the letters were dated November
10.
Newcombe was arrested at Parkhurst guest house, Mansfield, Notts, in
the early hours of August 30. He gave up without a struggle.
Detective Superintendent Ian Peacock, who led the hunt for Newcombe,
has described him as a ''a glib smooth-talking conman with a fast
tongue.
''Not for one moment did he ever express any remorse.
''In 12 hours of interviews he never said he was sorry. They were
matter of fact conversations in which he admitted killing two people.''
He said he was not surprised Newcombe had taken his own life.
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