A LONGRIDGE man facing historic charges of rape and assaulting two young boys hanged himself before his trial, an inquest has heard.

Ian McManoman, 49, was on bail charged with 10 counts of rape, attempted rape and indecent assault, when he was found hanging in the loft of his apartment on April 15.

His suicide came less than a week after he first appeared at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court on the charges.

He was due to appear at Preston Crown Court on April 24.

McManoman had been living with his brother Peter and his wife, but on Friday, April 12, told them he was going to his Longridge home.

When he didn’t return over the weekend, his brother phoned the police.

Peter McManoman told the inquest at Blackburn Coroner’s Court: “I was expecting him to come home for his tea, a Sunday roast, but he had done a similar thing once before when he met his ex-girlfriend and went up to the Lakes.”

Mr McManoman called the police on the Monday and PC Carl Chew went into McManoman’s top floor flat in Barclay Road and found two folded suicide notes addressed to his brother and also his ex-girlfriend. He then discovered McManoman’s body in the loft.

PC Chew told the inquest that McManoman had been ‘depressed due to an upcoming court case’ and had been prescribed mirtazapine.

Toxicology tests showed he had taken an amount equivalent to an ‘overdose’ on the day he died. However, his cause of death was hanging.

McManoman was facing one charge of raping a boy under 16, and two charges of attempted rape of the same boy. He also faced six charges of indecent assault against the same boy and one of indecent assault against another boy.