Shropshire man killed wife and daughter

A coroner has ruled a businessman battered his wife and daughter to death before committing suicide after losing 95% of his income "in a moment".

48-year-old Hugh McFall from Oswestry in Shropshire was found hanged in February - four hours after the bodies of his wife Susan and daughter Francesca were discovered at their home.

The self-employed flower salesman was facing accusations of invoice discrepancies from his main customer - which had suspended his contract - and feared a police investigation into his accounts.

Recording a verdict of suicide for Mr McFall and unlawful killing for Mrs McFall and Francesca, known as Frankie, coroner John Ellery said:

"His financial world had collapsed, his source of business income or at least 90-95% of it, had disappeared in a moment.

"Their lifestyle, as he knew it, would be over."

The two-day inquest at Shrewsbury Magistrates' Court heard that Mrs McFall and her daughter were found lying side by side on a bed in the master bedroom of the Hampton Road bungalow, covered in a "considerable amount of blood".

Mr McFall was found hanged in an industrial lock-up on February 5th - he had left two notes, one next to his daughter's body, the other in the lock-up where he was found.