Singer James Morrison found his former partner hanging at her home after finding a note on her front door saying: ‘Don’t come in – call police’, an inquest heard today.
Gill Catchpole had also written farewell notes to her two children and her ex-partner before taking her own life.
The 45-year-old mother had suffered from mental health issues for several years and had previously talked about taking her own life, Gloucester Coroner’s Court was told.
Morrison was not present at the inquest, which was attended by Ms Catchpole’s parents and sister and a number of friends who wept at the back of the court as the evidence into her death was read out by the coroner.
The court was told that a friend had called round to Ms Catchpole’s home in the village of Whitminster, in Gloucestershire, on January 5 to collect her for work.
James Morrison and Gill Catchpole in July 2012
Morrison found Ms Catchpole at her home with a note left on the front door
She saw an A4 sheet of paper pinned to the front door of an annexe with the handwritten words: ‘Don’t come in – call police.’
The friend went next door to contact Morrison – who split from his partner the year before but lived in the same house – to alert him.
Morrison used a set of keys to let himself in and found Ms Catchpole.
Paramedics confirmed that she died at 9.37am on January 5 this year.
Police carried out a search of the property and found several handwritten notes which were addressed to Morrison, their two children, her sister and her parents.
They also found several burnt pages with words similar to the note pinned to the front door.
A half empty bottle of vodka was also found in the kitchen.
Ms Catchpole’s father, who declined to give his name, told the coroner that he had spoken to his daughter on the morning of her death.
Coroner Roland Wooderson said that Ms Catchpole’s GP had been treating her for depression and anxiety since 2012.
An inquest at Gloucester Coroner’s Court heard that the 45-year-old mother of two had suffered from mental health issues for several years
James Morrison and his then partner Gill Catchpole in London following a Brit Awards after-party in 2009
Morrison was not present at the inquest, which was attended by Ms Catchpole’s parents and sister and a number of her friends who wept at the back of the court as the evidence into her death was read out
She had been on a course of anti-depressants and had undergone therapy, having expressed thoughts of killing herself.
GP Emma Basker said in a statement that Ms Catchpole had a complex medical history and had undergone a kidney transplant in 2023.
She also suffered from post-natal depression and PTSD and had sought help on multiple occasions.
Ms Basker said she had been treating her anxiety with alcohol and her mental health had deteriorated following the split from Morrison.
The court was told that they lived the same building, but Ms Catchpole was housed in an annexe with its own separate entrance.
Forensic toxicologist Kerry Taylor said alcohol was present in her system but not enough to cloud her judgment. There were also traces of a prescribed anti-depressant.
The coroner returned a verdict of suicide, saying he was satisfied that Ms Catchpole had taken taken her own life with no third party involvement.
Morrison and Ms Catchpole became engaged in 2006 and wore rings but they never married.
The 39-year-old singer from Rugby, Warwickshire, rose to fame in 2006 with his debut hit You Give Me Something.
Gill Catchpole was pictured without her ring (circled) in August last year
Gill posted in November how she had had a kidney transplant a year earlier and how her family had ‘picked up the many pieces of my life’
Gill posted on Facebook that she was ‘looking for a house to rent ASAP’ just 24 hours before she died
The singer first met Ms Catchpole when he was 17 and she moved into his mother’s home as a lodger with her boyfriend. She became a muse for Morrison, who is famed for his love songs.
He described Ms Catchpole as his ‘hero’ and their romance as a ‘little fairytale’, with the title of album You’re Stronger Than You Know inspired by her strength after the premature birth of their daughter Ada.
However, the café owner and caterer was pictured without her ring last summer, had her relationship status as ‘single’ on Facebook and was reportedly looking for a new home.
Her passing was yet another tragedy for Morrison, who until his greatest hits album in 2022 had disappeared from the music industry after losing his alcoholic father Paul in 2010 and his elder brother Alexis and nephew Callum within three years.
In a November social media post, she said: ‘What a difference a year makes. This time last year I was having my kidney transplant and a year on after many ups, downs and heartache I am here owning my own business.
‘I never saw this coming. For anyone out there struggling I can tell you from experience it does get better. Thanks to my amazing family and friends that have been there through it all and picked up the many pieces of me and my life. You all know who you are… today I feel blessed.’
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