A DEVASTATED Colne father-of-two killed himself after his girlfriend told him she was a dominatrix.

An inquest heard how depressed and unlucky-in-love Darren Steele, 35, had his world shattered when Kim Gilmour, his girlfriend of about nine months, revealed her job was dominating men.

Mr Steele's mother June wiped away tears as she told the hearing how her son confided in her and how he had added: "I hate her for what she is, but I will never stop loving her."

Unemployed Mr Steele, of Varley Street, Colne, was found dead in his car at Wycoller, Colne, on May 17. A picture of his two children by a previous relationship and a letter to Miss Gilmour were on the dashboard.

Mrs Steele told the inquest her son had previously attempted suicide twice, the second time after he said he could not live without his then girlfriend who met somebody else after they split.

He was depressed last August after a further relationship went wrong and ex-partner Anne-Marie Mason later told him she was getting engaged to somebody else.

Mr Steele was admitted to hospital because he said he did not want to live. He was in for a few weeks and there met Miss Gilmour, who was not at the inquest.

Mrs Steele, of Hartford Street, Blackburn, said Miss Gilmour had wanted her son to buy another house -- not one he had shared with a previous partner -- where she could stay and spend time with him.

Mrs Steele said her son, who also had money problems, had visited her, saying the relationship with Miss Gilmour was over and he was depressed.

He said he wanted to tell her something which he didn't like having to say and she had to promise not to tell anybody. She said Mr Steele had found out his girlfriend worked as a "dominatrix" in Cambridge two-and-a-half days a week. Her work included putting nappies on men and sticking pins in them.

He was very upset but then did not want to talk about it anymore.

The inquest heard that Mr Steele died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

PC Darren Pemberton from Colne said he found Mr Steele in a car with the engine still running, opened the door but was unable to find any sign of life.

There were strong fumes in the car and Mr Steele, who may have been dead for about eight to 10 hours, had a bottle of lager in his hand.

He looked like he was asleep. The officer said he was satisfied there was no third party involvement.

Recording a verdict that Mr Steele killed himself while depressed, East Lancashire Coroner David Smith said Mr Steele had been perfectly all right until he had a relationship which went wrong.

He went on: "He did intend to end his life. He was upset about what he discovered and knew he couldn't have her or didn't want her because of what she had told him."