The body of Oliver Conquest, 58, was found in woodland near Plumstead Road, Thorpe St Andrew.

An inquest into his death heard he had been increasingly distressed over a "sizeable amount" owed to HM Revenues and Customs.

The hearing, at Norwich Coroner's Court, was told Mr Conquest, who ran a gardening business, had been experiencing severe anxiety and depression linked to undeclared profits from investments in stocks and shares.

After talking to one of his clients - who turned out to work for HMRC - he had become convinced he would face criminal prosecution, imprisonment and the loss of property.

His mother, Shirley Conquest, was too frail to attend the hearing and gave her evidence to the court in a written statement.

Mrs Conquest said her "kind, gentle and caring" son was deeply worried about what would happen to her if he were jailed or their homes were taken after confusion lead to him falling behind with his finances.

“He feared going to prison and leaving me with no one to look after me,” she said in her statement, explaining that his father Brian had died in 2008 and his sister Vanessa been killed in an accident before her 30th birthday.

Mr Conquest had been reported missing by his mother at 9.15pm on July 31 after he left their home earlier that evening and did not return.

Norfolk Coroners Court at County Hall in Norwich. (Image: Denise Bradley)

She last spoke to him by phone at around 8.10pm, when he said he was going to the recycling centre and would be home soon.

Police began a search after she reported him missing at 11pm and later found his body in the early hours of the following day.

A post-mortem examination gave the provisional cause of death as hanging.

Mr Conquest had a recent history of significant anxiety and stress and had been under the care of his GP and mental health services in the months leading up to his death.

Clinicians described him as "highly anxious and preoccupied with financial worries", particularly fears over a conversation with a customer about his tax affairs.

The inquest heard Mr Conquest had invested in stocks and shares and had not declared profits to HMRC, something he confided to a client of his gardening business.

The court was told Mr Conquest was keen to find a resolution and sought advice from his client about his situation.

But he later learned the customer worked for HMRC and feared their talk at her home had been recorded in secret on an Alexa device and would be used against him.

He told his mother he had said "too much," about his finances, warning: "She will destroy me."

An accountant submitted a tax return on his behalf and advised him that while a sizeable bill was expected, enforcement action would not result in him losing his home or being imprisoned.

However, his mother said her son remained convinced the consequences would be catastrophic because of the conversation with his customer.

Born on April 19, 1967, Mr Conquest trained as an engineer before later working in the care sector.

He was working as a self-employed gardener and handyman at the time of his death.

Friends described him as " highly skilled and generous with his time," able to repair almost anything and particularly talented at building racing bicycles from scratch.

He became his mother’s full-time carer, taking her to appointments and managing daily life after the death of her husband in 2008.

Area coroner Johanna Thompson (Image: The Coroners' Society)

Recording a conclusion of suicide, the coroner Johanna Thompson said Mr Conquest had been suffering from significant mental ill health, exacerbated by overwhelming financial fears.

She said: He had significant issues in the months before his death and became very anxious after speaking to a customer about his financial affairs."

Mrs Conquest said in her statement that losing her son had left her devastated.

“I don't have anyone now. He was a loving and caring son and I will miss him every day,” she said.

© Eastern Daily Press