Father who confessed to affair took his own life

Frank Mattinson, 46, a construction finisher, had already confessed by text to one of his daughters that he was having an affair while he was working away in Oldham.

So when he sent a further message to his partner of 24 years, Elaine Terry, of Seadale Terrace, Filey, that he was on his way back she told him not to bother coming home.

He was subsequently reported missing to police who found him dead in his Ford Fiesta car in Filey Country Park. A hosepipe had been attached to the exhaust and he was dead from carbon monoxide poisoning, the inquest was told.

Ms Terry said yesterday the couple had four children, and Mr Mattinson also had two children by his previous marriage. They had fallen out – but had not actually separated – after he sent a phone message to his youngest daughter saying he was having an affair.

At the time he was working in Oldham where the couple used to live and staying at the house of a friend whom Ms Terry disapproved of.

A week before his death he sent a message that he was returning. "I sent him a text telling him not to bother coming home," she said.

Her partner went to stay with one of their daughters and with a friend. She attempted to contact him regarding access to their three-year-old son but he never responded to her calls, she added.

"He sent text messages to my daughters saying by the end of the day it would be over." One of her daughter's partners then reported Mr Mattinson missing.

The missing man was found only a short time later by a police officer who searched Filey Country Park. There was a full bottle of whisky in the car and some letters.

Recording a suicide verdict, North Yorkshire East Coroner Michael Oakley said that notes found in the car clearly showed Mr Mattinson had decided to take his own life.