COLIN Scott, a 57-year-old Brinkworth man, took an overdose of anti-depressants two years after the break-up of his marriage, an inquest at Chippenham Magistrates Court heard on Thursday.

Mr Scott was found dead in his bedroom at his house at Well Corner on January 25 at 1.15pm by his daughter, Karen Clements.

Post mortem tests found large doses of the drug dothiepin.

The level was eight times higher than that considered to be safe.

The inquest was told Mr Scott had been prescribed the drug by his GP, Dr John Harrison of Gable House Surgery, Malmesbury, in January 2001, after complaining he had trouble sleeping after his wife left him.

Mr Scott continued to take the drug for two years.

The inquest heard that during this period he had been worried about his pending divorce proceedings.

Consultant pathologist, Dr Robert Vanhagan, who conducted the post mortem, said he estimated he had taken up to 40 25mg capsules

He said he had found evidence to suggest the drug was mixed with a fluid before being drunk.

He ruled out the possibility that the dosage could have been built up following a number of doses.

Ms Clements told the inquest she had met her father at a cafe in Wootton Bassett with her sister, Deborah Cains the day before.

She said that although she noticed a pallid complexion and dark rings under his eyes, she was not concerned about his state of health.

But, she told the inquest, he had been completely devastated when his wife left him.

Ms Clements said she had arranged to meet her father for lunch on the Saturday.

She said she had phoned him twice on the morning of January 25 at around 10.30am and 12.30pm.

But she had been unable to get a reply.

She said she thought he would have wanted them to understand why he had taken an overdose, but may have done it on the spur of the moment.

Wiltshire coroner, David Masters, said he did not come to his verdict lightly and the evidence had greatly exercised his mind.

Central to the case was the fact that no note had been found at his house by the police or the family, nor were any packs of pills discovered.

Summing up, he said he came to his verdict largely on the evidence of the pathologist.

He agreed with Ms Clements that Mr Scott took his life in a moment of severe depression.