A CORONER has recorded a conclusion of suicide at an inquest into the death of Ebbw Vale businessman Paul Arrowsmith.

The 38-year-old financial controller was found dead on October 5 last year following a police search, the inquest at Newport heard on Tuesday.

His family had reported him missing the previous day.

Mr Arrowsmith's wife, in a written statement, asked why the police had not used more invasive technological tools - such as mobile phone triangulation - to try to locate her missing husband.

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Responding to the coroner in a written statement, Gwent Police inspector Mark Smith said such methods were only used in 'high-risk' cases.

Mr Arrowsmith had been downgraded to a 'medium-risk' missing person, the inspector added, because - among other factors - he had not been considered vulnerable nor at immediate risk of threat to life.

Caroline Saunders, the senior coroner for Gwent, told the inquest she was satisfied by this explanation.

She said Mr Arrowsmith had been an "accomplished, hard-working businessman" and sent her condolences to his family.