A MAN hanged himself after finding out his ex-partner was in a new relationship, an inquest has been told.

Steven Anthony Doughty was found dead at a property on Portland on April 1, 2021, hours after 51-year-old mum-of-five Sherrie Milnes was discovered stabbed and strangled to death in a flat on Ranelagh Road, Weymouth.

Ms Milnes had complained to police that she was being harassed by Mr Doughty just 24 hours before her death with the incident being investigated as a ‘domestic homicide’.

A documentary inquest held at Bournemouth Town Hall on February 20 - in which the coroner summarised the evidence -  heard that Mr Doughty had become increasingly ‘distressed’ after believing Ms Milnes, his ex-partner, had started a new relationship.

The 54-year-old, who moved to the area on a job transfer and worked at the Job Centre in Winton, subsequently formed a relationship with Ms Milnes after they moved in together following a flood at Mr Doughty’s home address.

Rachel Griffin, senior coroner for Dorset, read a statement from Mr Doughty’s brother - Peter - in which he said he received a message from his brother on February 28, 2021, saying his relationship with Ms Milnes had 'broken down'. Ms Milnes subsequently moved out.

Peter Doughty said he was ‘extremely shocked to hear that (Steven) had taken his own life and that he ‘had never known Steve to talk about harming himself or anyone else’.

Evidence was also read from the son of Sherrie Milnes, Connor Milnes, who said he had received a message from Mr Doughty on March 30, two days before Ms Milnes’ death, saying his mother was in a new relationship with someone else. 

Connor, who lived with his mum and Mr Doughty, said he had spoken with Mr Doughty the next day who ‘seemed to constantly want to talk about (Sherrie)’.

On April 1, after Connor was unable to secure access to the property on the Grove, the inquest heard that police forced entry at around 6pm and discovered Mr Doughty hanged. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

Detective Inspector Mark Jenkins provided a written statement in which he said police had discovered an email that Mr Doughty sent to himself, at 11.51am on the day of his death, ‘clearly indicating he intended to take his own life’.

DI Jenkins said the contents of the email indicated he was distressed about the breakdown of his relationship with Ms Milnes.

Recording a narrative of suicide, Ms Griffin said “although from his history there was no evidence of harming himself or acts of harm, it is clear to me that from the evidence received from his telephone (the email) there was an incidecation he was going to take his own life”.

A previous inquest hearing was told that Sherrie Milnes had complained Mr Doughty was harassing her just 24 hours before she was found dead.

At that hearing, Ms Griffin said: “It is not possible to say what would have happened if the police had seen (Ms Milnes) the day before (she died).

“I can’t say that even if the police had contacted (Ms Milnes before her death) it would have prevented her death.”

The deaths have been the subject of three investigations - one by Dorset Police, one by the IOPC and a third from Dorset Council.

Evidence relating to police contact with Ms Milnes will be heard at an inquest into her death later this year.