A 53-YEAR-OLD woman hanged herself hours after being released from police custody, an inquest heard today.

Marilyn Bowden banged her head against a cell wall after being arrested on November 6, the Amersham inquest was told.

Mrs Bowden, of Brockhurst Road, Chesham, was found dead early the next day after she hanged herself from the iron gate of a nearby business park with a scarf.

The inquest heard she had been suffering from depression “for some considerable time” because of personal circumstances – and had even asked her husband, Colin, to kill her.

Whilst in custody, Mrs Bowden was seen by a doctor when police officers became concerned for her welfare after she hit her head.

Dr Nicholas Reidy, who examined her, said the wound was “superficial”.

But he added: “I had a conversation on the circumstances of her detention and why she had banged her head on the cell wall.

“She gave me a clear story on the background to her arrest and circumstances and reasons why she had been arrested, and expressed some considerable distress about this.

“The impression she gave was one of considerable upset and distress at her circumstances and protestations at her innocence in the matter.”

Dr Reidy told the inquest he asked Mrs Bowden about any possible history of self-harm, but she told him “quite categorically” she had no intention of harming herself.

Mrs Bowden returned home the same evening.

In a statement, husband Colin said: “She was crying constantly. I have never seen Marilyn this bad. She was sobbing and said she had given up on herself.”

The couple went to bed together at around 1am. Mr Bowden said he usually slept downstairs alone, but felt his wife needed comforting following her arrest.

He said: “I remember when we went to bed, Marilyn turned to me and said, 'Will you do me a favour?' I said 'What?' and she replied, 'Kill me'.

“I said, 'No, I'll get done for murder'. She cried but I thought no more of it.”

Mr Bowden said there was no sign of his wife when he woke in the morning, but he went to work as normal.

However Berkhampstead Road was closed to traffic and sealed off – because of the discovery of Mrs Bowden's body.

Mr Bowden asked officers at the scene about the identity of the woman and was able to work out it was his wife.

The reason for Mrs Bowden's arrest was not made public at the inquest for legal reasons.

Coroner Richard Hulett recorded a verdict Mrs Bowden took her own life.