Man pointed gun at wife before dousing her in petrol and threatening to set her alight
An estranged husband pointed a gun at his wife, poured petrol over her and threatened to set them both on fire, an inquest heard.
Brian Franklin died after he set their family home in Dudley alight but his wife Lisa Franklin managed to escape.
Smethwick Coroners' Court was told that 42-year-old mechanic Mr Franklin had broken into their house in Wood Street on February 8 armed with a air rifle and a petrol can following the break-up of their marriage.
After dragging Mrs Franklin down the stairs in front of her two children, who he locked in her car parked on the drive, Mr Franklin poured petrol on her and threatened to set her alight, the inquest heard yesterday.
Mrs Franklin managed to escape to a neighbour's house and call the police but her husband set the house on fire and was later found dead in an upstairs bedroom.
Mrs Franklin told the inquest she had 'totally and utterly' ended the marriage following an assault on February 3 where he had slit her wrist.
The care-coordinator said: "He was screaming at me 'you have ruined my life, I'm not going to prison for anyone.' He was convinced after the assault he was going to prison.
"He grabbed a bag and got a petrol can out but I thought he was bluffing. Then when he opened it I could smell petrol and he was throwing it all over the house.
"He said if he was going then he was taking me with him."
"I was telling him to stop being stupid and I pushed him into the kitchen and turned and ran."
Robin Balmain, senior coroner for the Black Country, said Mr Franklin died from severe third degree burns covering more than 50 per cent of his body.
He said: "It is difficult to know what was going on in his mind but given the threats to his wife it seems to me that his intention was that he would kill himself and I propose to record that as the appropriate conclusion."
