A FATHER-of-four was found dead after leaving a note saying: "I have tried to battle my demons, I have continued to fail."

Graham Christopher Anthony Houston died at the Travelodge at Burton-in-Kendal services on January 21, 2020.

He had been living in hotels and suffering with his mental health since he had assaulted his teenage son during an argument at their home, an inquest was told.

The inquest heard that Mr Houston, who worked in mental health nursing, had initially agreed to go into sheltered accommodation.

However, he later said that he was going to head down to London to stay with his sister instead.

It transpired that he had in fact gone to Cumbria, where he was found dead in his room at the Travelodge after cleaners spotted the ligature.

In notes left in the room, he said: "I am sorry to everyone. I have tried to battle my demons.

"I have continued to fail.

"I'm ashamed of what I did [to my son].

"I will not make any excuses, I'm sorry."

He said: "I have enjoyed my job and the people I have worked with, and I'm sorry that I have let them down."

He also apologised for 'lying' to mental health services about where he was heading.

The inquest at Cockermouth Coroner's Court heard that Mr Houston had been living away from his home in Hull after assaulting his son on January 8.

Social services advised Mr Houston's wife not to allow her husband into their home.

Mr Houston later returned to his family home to collect more of his things - including his passport - but said he was not planning to leave the country.

The 50-year-old army veteran, who served in countries such as Germany, Kuwait and Afghanistan during 22 years of service, got in touch with The Veterans Charity, which put him in touch with mental health services.

He told mental health practitioners he had been experiencing symptoms of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder and had been having thoughts of ending his own life.

He said he had suffered physical abuse as a child and had experienced further trauma in the army.

Mr Houston did not have a medical history of mental illness, but overdosed in an attempt to take his own life in 2002 after his first wife left him.

After leaving the army, Mr Houston, who was born in London, trained in mental health nursing at university in Hull.

He graduated in 2013 and worked in this field up to the time of his death.