A consultant psychologist who specialised in helping people who were at risk of suicide, took her own life after her husband revealed he wanted to a divorce.

Dr Pamela (Pam) Reeves from Wokingham had specialised in helping people who were struggling with mental health issues, an inquest into her death revealed today (October 21).

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However, the 42-year-old doctor took her own life after her husband Matthew, a senior police chief, told her their relationship might be over and he left the marital home on July 26, the coroner was told.

At a meeting of Dr Reeves' colleagues from a specialist mental health team, known as the PICT, based in Reading, the following morning, some of her close friends became concerned that Pamela was missing.

Another clinical psychologist, Dr Anna Norris told the inquest how she had volunteered to go to Dr Reeves' home in Aggisters Lane, Wokingham, to check if she was okay.

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In a statement at the meeting, Dr Norris said: "Pam's mum was supposed to be moving in and the plan was to build an annexe.

"Eventually Matt had told Pam that he did not want her mum moving in. Pam told her mum this and she was unhappy. Her mother had not been talking to her because of this."

One of the other members on the team had told Dr Norris: "I hope she does not kill me for sharing this but Matt told her he wanted a divorce yesterday afternoon. She was very calm and rational by the time I spoke to her. She said she would take a Nytol and go to sleep but I have not heard since. I am seriously worried."

The inquest heard that Dr Norris managed to enter the bedroom via a bedroom window and found Dr Reeves on the floor.

Ambulance crews attended and pronounced Dr Reeves dead at the scene.

Superintendent Matthew Reeves, who attended the inquest, said in his statement: "From our conversations in the past, Pam did not think people should be ashamed of suicide. We would often talk about it due to my work in the police.

"She worked closely with clinicians who provided training to patients who were at a high risk of suicide."

"In January this year we were due to sign a builder's plan. I decided I was not happy with the plan, I was not happy with her mum coming and living with us, for us including a retirement flat for her mum.

"Pam also looked at the financial side of her mum moving over from South Africa. It soon became apparent that Pam would need to help her mum out financially.

"Pam was not too happy about this, for the last five months there had been a rift between them. We looked at trying to get a mediator in South Africa to get them talking properly again. When I spoke to her mum in the days after, she mentioned that Pam had told her that I wanted to divorce."

After telling each other they loved one another, Mr Reeves left and the next time he contacted his wife was through a Whatsapp message which was not read, the coroner was told.

Katy Thorne QC, the assistant coroner for Berkshire, said a toxicology examination showed Mrs Reeves had consumed a small amount of alcohol and some Niytol, with a post-mortem examination giving a cause of death as asphyxia due to hanging.

Ms Thorne said: "On the evening of Sunday, July 26, Mr Reeves left the marital home for a trial separation. Mrs Reeves was last spoken to that night by a friend and the following day did not attend a work meeting.

"I am satisfied that she took her own life. I am satisfied she intended to do so, having significant personal problems and having searched on the internet for methods of suicide."