A man who stabbed himself to death during a family row had struggled to get over the loss of his brother, an inquest heard.

The 46-year-old from Merton Park killed himself in March after an argument that began over washing up.

On Tuesday, Westminster Coroner’s Court heard he was exhausted and had not recovered from his sibling’s death the previous year.

Coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox said: “How many times have people in this court been involved in that sort of argument?

"Unfortunately, it would appear this argument escalated out of all proportion.

“These wounds were inflicted by [the victim] acting in a moment of extreme anger and distress.”

Dr Wilcox also used legal powers to ban newspapers from disclosing the identity of the dead man because, she concluded, his children's identities needed to be protected.

The argument happened at about 2pm on March 13, after the family of five had finished lunch.

The victim’s wife of 18 years said that seconds before he killed himself she reminded him he had high blood pressure and warned him he could fall ill like his brother – who had collapsed and died in 2010.

She told the inquest: “I didn’t mean it in a bad way. I just wanted him to calm down.”

But witnesses said the husband pushed her to the floor, grabbed a knife from a nearby cudboard and stabbed himself three times.

Police and ambulance crews were called to the house but the man died about an hour later at St George’s hospital after severe internal bleeding.

His wife said her deeply religious husband had not meant to commit suicide and was a “caring and loving family man”.

But she said he was “exhausted” from his work as an IT consultant and putting his brother’s affairs in order, and added he was very close to his sibling.

Dr Wilcox said there was no evidence of foul play or suicidal intent, and recorded a verdict of misadventure.

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