A GOLD mining boss found dead at a mansion in the Scottish Highlands killed himself after moving from Sussex to Scotland to retire, an inquest heard.

Mark Wellesley-Wood, chief executive of KEFI minerals, a British gold and copper mining company operating in Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia, was found dead by his wife Shona after shooting himself in the head with his shotgun.

The 67-year-old financier was said to be suffering from an “acute depressive illness” brought on by money worries and relationship problems brought on by the couple’s move from Sussex in September 2018. He moved to the rented home in Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire while the pair paid for renovation works on a retirement property in Alloa, near Stirling. But West Sussex Coroner’s Court heard how the pair regretted the move, causing “friction”.

On April 25 Shona came home from having her hair done to find him lying on the on the patio of their rented home on the edge of the Highlands beside his 12 bore shotgun used for clay pigeon shooting. She called police and paramedics but Mr Wellesley-Wood was pronounced dead at the scene. A post mortem found his cause of death to be “shotgun injury to the head.” Shona discovered a signed suicide note in his study after coming across his body. A summary of evidence in the case read at the hearing revealed he had been prescribed antidepressants in October 2018 after a visit to his GP Dr Julis Dunn after he “scored high on the depression scale.”

Geoff Charnock, coroner’s officer, said: “They had moved to Scotland, from Sussex, in September 2018 and were living in a rented house in Dunbarton whilst they renovated a derelict property in Alloa |It was to be their family home in retirement. The funding for the renovations came from the sale of their house in Sussex. This relocation caused friction in the relationship due to stresses over renovation costs and regrets about their choice of property. Mark regularly voiced his concerns about money which developed during his semi-retirement.

“Mark saw Dr Dunn on October 11. He scored high on the depression scale, however he denied any thoughts of self-harm but admitted feeling very low. He was prescribed antidepressants and given leaflets with contact numbers for people to speak with regarding his financial worries. He took the medication for a number of days, however he complained to his wife about the way they made him feel.”

Months later, he was trying to sort out his will, the court heard.