THE death of a man found in a stranger's driveway with his throat slashed last November remains a “mystery”, after a coroner today recorded an open verdict.

Nigel Lennon, 36, was found with more than 30 stab wounds to the neck, as well as cuts to his wrist, by Mrs Rajinder Bassi, by the garage at her home in Telford Way, Downley, on November 15.

Following investigations, police decided his death was suicide, but coroner Richard Hulett decided the evidence was inconclusive.

He told the court in Amersham: “The evidence is not sufficient, and in my view it never will be, to say somebody killed themselves. This is not to say I think there is any evidence anybody did him harm.

“There has been no suggestion from anyone that anyone had a grudge against him, or disliked him enough to attack him in this way.”

His body was discovered laying between a car and the garage by Mrs Bassi, who said she did not know him, at 8am. He was last seen just after midnight.

The court heard unemployed Mr Lennon of Kitchener Way, had been working with Darren Brewer decorating a house in Hawksmoor Close, Downley, for a friend.

Mr Brewer, who was sleeping on Mr Lennon's sofa, said the pair had been working until 6pm on Friday, November 14, but said he returned to work at about 7pm, leaving Mr Lennon at home.

He told the court Mr Lennon had shown up at the house in Hawksmoor Close around midnight, to see when he would be home, as he would have to let him in.

When he told Mr Lennon he would be leaving shortly and he could have a lift, he declined, and said he would walk home. But, when Mr Brewer arrived home just after 1am, Mr Lennon was not there.

He said: “I can't understand why Nigel would be in Telford Way, as it's not on his way home from Hawksmoor Close, it's totally the opposite direction.

The court heard evidence of a 999 call made from Mr Lennon's mobile phone at 1am saying “I want an ambulance” which was said “in quite a calm way”, according to coroner's officer Geraldine Trickett.

However, his sister Ida Lennon, and ex-girlfriend Sarah Yates, both said the voice did not sound like Mr Lennon's.

Mrs Yates, who met Mr Lennon in July last year, said they started a relationship as she was going through a divorce and described him as “cheerful, calm, peaceful and laid back”.

However, she said they had agreed to cool their relationship on the Sunday before his death, but said the split was amicable, and she had received friendly “positive” texts from him the night he died.

Pathologist Dr Robert Chapman, who conducted an initial post mortem on the body, said the wounds were consistent with being self inflicted, and there were no defensive wounds.

Traces of cocaine were found in Mr Lennon's body after tests.

The court also heard from his GP, Dr Nicholas Reidy, who said Mr Lennon suffered from manic depression, and had “a history of attempted suicide,” and had been hospitalised while living in New York.

He treated Mr Lennon on October 7, where he “presented as normal”, and added: “I do not think there was any suggestion at any time he was going to do harm to anyone else, or himself.”

Mr Lennon, he said, also took his anti-depression medication “assiduously”, but had refused treatment from the local mental health services.

In his summation, Mr Hulett said: “The immediate family have long been at the very least resistant to the idea he would self harm, and that certainly does not fit in with any of his behaviour or goings on in his life.”