A MAN who was found on the banks of the River Severn with a gunshot wound to the head killed himself, a coroner has ruled.

The body of Garry Foster – who was wanted in connection with serious sexual offences – was found near Grimley on Thursday, September 26, having been missing since the previous Sunday.

This afternoon’s inquest at Stourport Coroner’s Court heard the married 53-year-old from Dudley was holding a shotgun which he was the legal owner of and a pathologist had recorded his cause of death as an extensive brain injury caused by a gunshot wound to the head.

West Mercia Police Detective Sergeant Stuart Hawkswood, who led the investigation into the gardener’s death, told the inquest officers had been called on the morning of September 26 after a passing boat had seen his boy on the riverbank.

“There were a number of reasons to believe it was a self-inflicted wound,” he said. “He had a long twig in his hand which he would have used to pull the trigger.”

He added Mr Grant’s Mitsubishi Pajero was found in a nearby car park usually only used by fishermen and there were no signs of a struggle or reasons to believe anyone else was involved.

“It can’t be confirmed whether or not he knew the police were searching for him,” he said.

Senior coroner Geraint Williams said his body had been there for between 12 and 24 hours before it was found and he felt he had enough information to record a verdict of suicide.

“He wasn’t a stupid man, he knew the consequences of using a shotgun in that way,” he said.

“I can be satisfied that he meant to take his own life.”