Gransdson shot himself after theft, inquest told

A teenager from Bristol thought to have stolen money from his grandparents drove to Cornwall to shoot himself in a lay-by, an inquest has heard.

Joshua Mather, 19, described by his mother Paula Mather as a “friendly, happy boy”, used a shotgun from the farm he shared with his grandparents to kill himself on February 19.

Detective Constable John Farrow, of Saltash CID, told the inquest in Truro there was no evidence to suggest any third party involvement, no suicide note or indication Mr Mather intended to take his own life, and no major apparent reason for him to do so.

He said: “Police were called to a lay-by on the A390 after Mr Mather was discovered in his van by two men who had stopped in the lay-by.

“Joshua was taking a mechanic’s course and had been with friends the previous night, driving one of them to work on the Friday morning before he drove on to Cornwall. There had been a minor family issue about Joshua possibly taking money from a pot kept at the farmhouse.”

DC Farrow said Joshua’s grandparents had started to grow potatoes and put the money they made from any sales into a pot.

Joshua’s grandmother had become concerned when money disappeared at Christmas and again not long before the tragedy, and had asked Joshua about it – as well as telling his mother, said the detective.

In a statement, Joshua’s mother said she could not think of any reason for her son to take his own life, and that the only issue the family had about the money was that he did not ask for it.

She said: “He was like a son to my parents and I can not believe that Joshua would have taken his own life over a few pounds.”

Mrs Mather lived near to her parents’ farm where her son had lived since his parents had split up and she said she spoke to him on the morning of his death.

She added that she became concerned about him when he subsequently did not reply to texts she sent throughout the day after being told about the issue with money.

Joshua’s medical history showed no signs of suicidal tendencies and his toxicology results were clear. Assistant coroner Barrie van den Berg recorded a verdict of suicide and said: “Death occurred because of what Joshua did and he must have realised the consequences.”