Wigan dad of two whose death sparked murder probe was killed by poison

Andrew Brown, 45, lived in Fern Close, Shevington, with his Malaysian-born wife - real name Keng Ngee Hng, but known as "Robin" - who was the mum of his two children.

However the relationship had irretrievably broken down and become "toxic and dysfunctional", the inquest at Bolton coroners' court heard.

And following his death police launched a murder investigation after it was alleged that his spouse had poisoned him. But the hearing was told there was no evidence to support this.

Mr Brown had given up work to stay at home and care for their two young children, while his wife was the main breadwinner through her work as a doctor at Wigan Infirmary.

This had placed strains on their marriage, exacerbated when Robin herself had to give up her career after being diagnosed with the debilitating condition ME.

They eventually occupied different parts of the same house, and were in the process of divorcing when tragedy struck.

The inquest heard that Dundee-born Mr Brown was in the process of buying a new property for himself and had started a new relationship. However, he was anxious about the custody arrangements for the couple's two children - who he doted on - and feared that his ex-wife would take them to live in Malaysia with her.

On the morning of Wednesday, August 9 last year, Andrew was found collapsed and unresponsive by his teenage son in the dining area which he used as a bedroom.

Paramedics were called but he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards. A “do not resuscitate” document was found near to the body.

A post-mortem examination revealed Andrew had ingested a poisonous substance, which Wigan Today has agreed not to name following a request from the coroner who heard the case.

The inquest was told there was no "definitive answer" as to whether Andrew had administered the poison himself, or whether it was done by a third party, but it was more likely to be self-administered.

Forensic pathologist Dr Megan Jenkins said: “There is no direct evidence from the post-mortem that can assist in explaining the circumstances in which the fatal quantity of (the chemical substance) was ingested.”

Following his death, his wife Robin had been arrested on suspicion of murder but no further action was taken after foul play was ruled out by police.

The investigation revealed that the registered poison had been “stockpiled” at the address in three separate purchases over the course of six months.

Andrew’s GP, Dr Winstanley, said that although his patient had a long history of mixed anxiety and depression and that his domestic situation sounded “horrendous”, he loved his children very much and “it was a total shock to me to discover that he’d died.”

In family evidence from Andrew’s dad Alexander (Sandy) and sister Lesley Sinclair, the inquest heard that the couple had met while students at Aberdeen University. They had settled in Wigan after Robin got a job at the town’s hospital.

Andrew worked in marketing, but after the birth of their first child it was decided he should undertake responsibility for child care and be a stay-at-home dad, while Robin continued with her work as it was better paid.

But the inquest heard the family descended from one that “had it all” to one marked by the dysfunctional, disharmonious and toxic relationship between the couple.

Shortly before his death, Andrew and his sister Lesley had gone on holiday with their children to Lake Garda in Italy and she told the inquest that he seemed to be more “optimistic” about the future, although he was worried about the custody of his children.

She said: “He was a totally dedicated and loving father and there was no way he would do anything to harm his children, or take his own life in the house where he’d be found by one of them.”

In answer to a direct question from the coroner Timothy Brennan, she said: “I feel that Andrew was murdered.”

Andrew’s wife Robin, who gave her evidence remotely as she is housebound, said that she had suffered “ongoing controlling behaviour” at Andrew’s hands and that she had “feared for her life.”

She was asked four times by the coroner whether Andrew loved his children, to which she failed to respond with a “yes or no” answer but would say only that “he loved them for selfish reasons.”

On the day before his death, Andrew had called police over a row he had had with his wife and sister-in-law – who also lived at the property – over arrangements for taking their young daughter to a medical appointment.

Robin said this had been the last straw and she had ordered him to pack his bags and leave the house by the following morning.

She alleged that Andrew had taken the poisonous substance in a bid to frame her for attempted murder by claiming that she had administered it to him, such as by concealing it in his food or drink, but he had miscalculated the amount and died.

She added: “He had many issues over the custody of the children and putting me in prison makes a lot of sense.”

In answer to a direct question from Mr Brennan, she denied that either she or her sister had killed Andrew.

The coroner gave a narrative conclusion, which said: “Andrew Brown died as a consequence of a deliberate ingestion of an unknown quantity of (the registered poison), in circumstances in which his intentions remain unclear.” He also passed on his condolences to the family.

Paying tribute afterwards, Andrew’s 80-year-old dad Sandy said his son was a “gentleman, and a gentle man, who was a doting father to his two children. He was a loyal friend and will be sadly missed by many, but his spirit lives on in the memory.”