A detective who was found dead in a woodland was facing an allegation that he had sexually abused a child, an inquest heard.

Detective Sergeant George Atkinson, 46, who was based at Workington Police Station, was found by colleagues at Fother Gill, Lamplugh Fell – near Cogra Moss – on June 23.

The inquest heard he had hanged himself after becoming concerned that colleagues would find out he had repeatedly breached bail conditions.

Senior coroner David Roberts heard that Mr Atkinson had been arrested in April after the abuse allegation was made.

He was released on police bail and suspended from work without prejudice while it was investigated. Under his bail conditions, Mr Atkinson was banned from having contact with his wife Cath Wilson, also a serving police officer, and had moved from their home in Kirkland to stay with his brother in Whitehaven.

The inquest heard Mr Atkinson, who maintained his innocence, had visited his doctor soon after his arrest, suffering extreme stress.

The inquest heard that during the investigation he and his wife had met and spoken secretly and he told a colleague he thought their relationship had a future.

She said: “I initially was quite angry with him because of the allegation.

“Pretty soon he was really upset and crying, saying he hadn’t done it.”

Soon, Mrs Wilson said, her husband mentioned suicide.

She added: “He said that he couldn’t be without me, that he hadn’t done it, that it had ruined his life.”

Her husband warned her that he would kill himself if she told anybody about their discussions.

Over time though, Mrs Wilson grew concerned about the trouble she could face if their meetings were discovered.

On June 22, Mrs Wilson spoke to a friend and colleague who advised her to contact her boss, Inspector Annette McClement. Insp McClement visited her at home in an unmarked police car.

Around the same time, Mr Atkinson was seen finishing a walk at Ennerdale Water. His route would have taken him past his house in Kirkland, the inquest heard, where he would have recognised the unmarked car on the driveway.

A short time later he arrived at his brother’s house, but left within 10 minutes.

He called his wife and said: “You’ve told them, haven’t you? They’re coming for me, aren’t they?”

When Mr Atkinson could not be found at his brother’s house, a missing person’s search was launched.

Mr Atkinson was found by a dog handler at about 2.45pm the next day.

In the hours before he died he had sent an email from his mobile phone to his work address, stating that he was innocent and saying goodbye to his family. He had also text his ex-wife, asking her to tell their children he loved them.

Mr Roberts concluded that Mr Atkinson had committed suicide.

He added: “This wasn’t a cry for help. He was in the middle of nowhere in dense woodland in the middle of the night.”