A “CARING, loving” mother was unlawfully killed by her husband before he took his own life, an inquest has found.

Kerry Bradford was found dead at her home on Monnow Way in Bettws on April 25, 2021.

Officers had attended the address to inform her of the death of her partner, Nicholas Bradford, who had committed suicide in Newport city centre.

They became concerned when there was no response, and forced entry to the property.

Ms Bradford was found in a chair “with a significant amount of blood around her,” said DS Rhys Potter.

Forensic pathologist Dr Richard Jones said Ms Bradford had suffered “multiple stab wounds to the neck” which were “mostly in keeping with an assault”.

“There were two knives present, one with bloodstains on,” he said.  

A toxicology report found there was no trace of drugs or alcohol in Mr or Ms Bradford’s blood.

The couple were living apart after Ms Bradford had become uncomfortable with her husband – who was a social worker – letting the people he was caring for stay at their home. 

However, they were working on their relationship, meeting up three times a week and had even booked to go away on holiday.

The couple’s daughter Lynsey Bradford visited her parents on April 25, arriving shortly after midday.

She said they were “laughing and joking about my upcoming wedding.”

She told the court that a few hours later, Mr Bradford asked her if she could leave “as he wanted to speak to mum”.

“Both mum and dad waved us off,” she said, adding that they left shortly before 3pm. “There was nothing out of the ordinary. I didn’t think there was anything wrong.”

Ryan Bradford, the couple’s son, described his mum as “a caring, loving person” and said “she would do anything for anyone.”

He said his dad was “a genuine man - hard working. He would do anything for Lynsey and I. He was a lovely man.”

He had become concerned about his dad’s mental health following his parents separation.

He said he received a text from his dad in February 2021 saying “Put me next to nan’s grave”. When he went to see him, his dad was lying on the garage floor. He called the police, but when they arrived, Mr Bradford was back inside the house and wouldn’t speak to the officers.

“I remember saying to my wife that if they didn’t get back together then my dad will kill himself,” said Ryan Bradford.

“I had concerns about dad that he would commit suicide but I didn’t think he would hurt my mum.

“That’s not the dad I knew.”

Mr Bradford’s GP reported that he had an initial diagnosis of anxiety and depression in 2007, but had not reported any symptoms since then and had “denied any recent stresses” in a check-up on April 21, 2021.

David Quarterly, Ms Bradford’s step-dad, described Mr Bradford as “a nice man” and said “I got on with him”.

“I never had any suspicions about Nicholas and never had any concerns about Kerry’s safety.

“I was truly shocked.”

Mr Bradford’s sister, Dominique Blackman, said that her brother “loved Kerry and was desperate to have her back in his life.”

Detective constable Rhys Lawrence, from Gwent Police’s major incident team, said a small amount of Ms Bradford’s blood was found inside the car that Mr Bradford had driven to the city centre, as well as on his clothes.

He said that both Mr and Mrs Bradford’s phones lost connection to the Wi-Fi at 3.21pm, and it is believed that this is when they were submerged in the hot tub – where they were found.

From the evidence, DC Lawrence said he believed Ms Bradford had died between 3.13pm and 3.21pm.

DC Lawrence told the court that there were “several internet searches in the weeks leading up to this incident about suicide.”

“Initially the searches related to self-harm, however, on April 22 there were searches about harming somebody else – in particular by stabbing somebody else in the neck.”  

The scope of an inquest stops a coroner from determining blame for a person’s death. Senior coroner for Gwent Caroline Saunders read out the legal definition of murder, and asked DC Lawrence whether this was his understanding of what happened.

“Yes,” he replied.

Ms Bradford’s medical cause of death was multiple stab wounds to the neck.

Ms Saunders concluded her death was an unlawful killing.

Mr Bradford’s medical cause of death was recorded as multiple blunt force injuries to the head, trunk, and limbs. The coroner concluded his death was suicide.

“This is an extremely tragic case and a waste of two lives,” said Ms Saunders.