MICHAEL FALLA left a letter addressed to his mother and daughter at his Torteval home. It told how he would not know how to cope without Sarah and that without her all his dreams were shattered.

The note said he had been let down before and had nothing to go on for.

He told his mother and daughter he loved them and begged forgiveness.

On the back he had written what he believed were Sarah’s wishes for her funeral, which included having the song ‘Angels’ played at the service, and his wish to be buried with her.

Born on 12 April 1963, he was the eldest of four children. He was first married in 1986 and his daughter was born soon after the couple had split up.

Mr Falla had worked in the growing and motor trades before becoming involved in property maintenance and gardening with a business partner.

The inquest heard he had never previously been violent to his wife.

He had been fit and well but had been experiencing some chest pains and was awaiting the results of tests. He was worried about what they might reveal.

Mr Falla was interested in German memorabilia, including guns and bunkers, and was a committee member of the Anne Marie Shooting Club.

He was a registered firearms owner and arranged shipments of ammunition. His estranged wife was also a member of the club.

His responsibilities including ordering and paying for the club’s ammunition.

After she told him she was leaving home and wanted some time alone, he had broken down and was not eating or sleeping. He had moved into his mother’s home.

He made some inquiries about some ammunition.

His estranged wife had suggested that they meet for a bar meal on 23 May to discuss their relationship.

She was going to tell him their marriage was over.

Mr Falla had told a neighbour of the marital home in Torteval not to worry if they did not see them for a few days and that he would be back to water the plants.

He had called a former work colleague in a deeply upset state and was agitated. He mentioned that Sarah had left him and he was fed up.

On the fatal day, he did not go to work at 7.15am as normal and send a text message to a workmate claiming he was ill.

Early that afternoon he went to his estranged wife’s workplace and discreetly told one of her colleagues that he had booked them both a surprise holiday.

He was seen at about 2pm in the High Street and had told somebody he was not very well and had relationship problems.

The inquest heard that somebody had described his demeanour as someone ‘whose world had ended’.

He looked bedraggled and had lost weight.

After he had shot her and then himself in her Subaru at Fort Hommet, a magazine with several more rounds of 9mm ammunition was found.

Two sets of keys to the club’s ammunition store were found in his VW Polo.

A bullet was discovered in the car park by a police officer during a fingertip search of the area – the inquest heard it might have been one that caused the penetrating wound to Mrs Falla’s right ear.

Ballistics tests found the bullets had all been fired from the Beretta and three cartridge cases found belonged to it.

A post mortem found he had a single gunshot wound with entry in the right side of the temple and exit on the left.

‘It would have caused virtually instantaneous death,’ the inquest heard.

It was indicative of firm contact.

The shooting club’s supplier was shown cases found inside the Subaru and said that he had not been involved in supplying them.

The court expressed its deepest sympathies to the relatives and friends of both the deceased.