A MUCH-loved man died after hanging himself following a row with his girlfriend, an inquest has heard.

A coroner ruled that although Alan Johns, 44, intended to stage what he was doing it is believed that he hoped his partner would return and rescue him.

At an inquest into his death Winchester Coroner’s Court was told that Mr Johns had moved in with Holly Thurman 10 days before having been in a relationship for two years.

Ms Thurman said that her partner had been “a bit moody and a little stressed” as he had been doing long days and was thinking about changing his job.

And on the day before his death, May 22, he had come home, gone into the kitchen and put his music on until a neighbour knocked on the door.

“He changed completely and got really angry,” Ms Thurman said.

The inquest heard that the neighbour was intoxicated or on drugs, and Mr Johns was known to have a history of alcohol issues and did not want to be around that environment.

“He just went into a rage,” and when asked if her partner had been drinking, she said: “He probably was because of how quickly he got and how angry he got.”

He was said to “ranting and raving about drug dealers coming to the door” after the neighbour had left.

Mr Johns went into the kitchen and grabbed a large knife saying “go on stab me” before throwing it at his partner and then grabbing her by the throat.

Ms Thurman then left, but before she did carpenter Mr Johns shouted that he was going to hang himself.

Speaking at the inquest, Ms Thurman said: “I just left, I was in a bit of a state myself, I didn’t consider that he was actually being serious. I didn’t think he meant what he said, I thought he was just trying to keep us in that situation.”

After around 15 minutes at her friend’s house Ms Thurman returned and found Mr Johns slumped on the floor, the emergency services were called and he was taken to Royal Bournemouth Hospital. Tests were carried out on the following day and it was discovered that he had suffered brain stem death and was pronounced dead.

The court heard that in 2015 Mr Johns’ company went bankrupt and since then he had suffered with mental health issues before going into rehabilitation for alcohol misuse, but it was now thought by his family and partner that he was teetotal.

Coroner Samantha Marsh said: “I have some doubt as to his intention. Alan may have been intending to either scare Holly or his logical thought may have been affected by the alcohol or emotionally heightened state.

“He may have anticipated you [Holly] returning to the property earlier to rescue him.”

Ms Marsh ruled the death as misadventure.