Wolverhampton couple who faced serious sex charges carried out suicide pact

Suicide notes were left by Cheyevette Cooke, aged 46, and her 41-year-old husband David whose bodies were found in a Honda Civic in a Wolverhampton car park on March 9.

The couple had been due before Cannock Magistrates with Mr Cooke facing 12 charges including allegations of rape, sexual assault and other serious sexual offences.

His wife was accused of two offences.

The results of a post-mortem examination later showed they both died from 'compression of the neck'.

Notes stating their intention to commit suicide were found in the Honda Civic and also on the narrowboat in which they had lived at Napton Narrowboats in Pendeford, Wolverhampton, where he had acted as a caretaker.

At Black Country Coroner's Court yesterday, coroner Zafar Siddique concluded that both deaths had been suicide.

He told the hearing: "Having considered all the evidence and the notes which were left indicating they intended to take their own lives and the stresses they were facing in terms of the allegations against them, I conclude that sadly that both took their own lives in what was effectively a suicide pact."

Detective Constable Neil Gill, speaking at the inquest, said a letter written by Mr Cooke, who was a gas engineer, was left at the boat yard for manager Peter Haines.

Mr Haines alerted police at 8.51am to the note which said it was the 'when you read this, hopefully we will have passed away.'

A further call was made at 12.29pm by a member of the public, who spotted the Honda Civic in Cat and Kittens Lane, Bushbury, and what they believed to be 'two people dead inside.'

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The couple were found with ropes around their neck. A dog which was found in the car was taken to safety. DC Gill said yesterday he believed the couple had intended to kill the dog also.

Mrs Cooke's mother, Abigail Morris, said: "From when she was born until just recently she was out-going, loved her fun and loved going to parties. She used to have a big bouncy castle in her garden and she used to love that. Everyone in her street used to go and have a really good time."

The magistrates court hearing which had been scheduled for the couple was adjourned for 'non-standard reasons' when the pair failed to appear and the matter was remanded.

Initially a warrant was issued for their arrest because of the non-appearance, but that was withdrawn later in the day after the solicitor waiting at court to represent them got a message from his office that a police officer had phoned to say the couple had been in involved in an 'incident'.

The solicitor tried to call back the police officer and finally made contact after lunch, when he was told the pair had been found dead in a car.

The couple had lived in Campion Drive, Featherstone, until moving out around two years ago and setting up on a narrowboat.

DC Gill said the note discovered for Mr Haines in the narrowboat stated words to the effect of: "Sorry for you to hear this s***.

"This was the only way we could work things out.

"When you read this hopefully we will have passed away."

After being altered by Mr Haines, West Midlands Police attempted to trace them by their telephone and used digital technology to try and place where their vehicle might be. But the search was ended after the discovery of their bodies.

"He said it appeared they had been strangled and there was a dog in the car with them."

In a written statement provided for the inquest, Mr Haines said he did not charge the couple any rent to stay at the boatyard because he did not pay Mr Cooke for acting as the site's caretaker.

He described them as "nice people" who he affectionately called Chas and Dave.

The couple had told him police had searched their narrowboat and taken items away regarding allegations of criminality, but had not given any further details.

Mr Haines added in the two weeks leading up to their death the couple had not been their 'bubbly selves' but had been quieter than usual.

When the bodies were discovered a police cordon was in place at the entrance to the nearby Greenfield Golf Club, which is off a small road leading off Cat and Kittens Lane.

The club is next to a National Grid Base from which staff had temporarily been using the car park where the Honda Civic was found. The car park has just one entry gate. There are no other buildings in the immediate vicinity.

West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman Jamie Arrowsmith, said at the time: "On arrival, crews found two patients, a man and a woman, both of whom were inside a car.

"Unfortunately it quickly became apparent that nothing could be done to save either of them and they were confirmed dead at the scene."