A husband who murdered his wife before turning the knife on himself had turned down mental health treatment.

Makram Zakaria Bushara, 64, repeatedly stabbed wife Magda Bushara Zaki, 53, in the chest, then stabbed himself twice in the heart at their Hove home on Tuesday afternoon.

The couple's 18-year-old daughter Mariana returned to the family home in Southdown House, Somerhill Avenue, just after 5pm to find their lifeless bodies in the lounge.

Opening an inquest into their deaths yesterday Brighton and Hove Coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley said: “It is certain from the initial information I have that there were mental health problems for Makram.

“He refused treatment from the local psychiatric hospital, Millview, in November.

“There was clear history of mental health problems at that stage.”

Detective Chief Inspector Trevor Bowles, of Sussex Police, said medication to treat depression was found at the flat in Brunswick Place where Mr Bushara had been living apart from his wife.

The police investigation has concluded Mr Bushara was the only person who could have been responsible for their deaths.

He said: “We understand Makram was depressed about the marriage difficulties he was having with Magda.

“We found two bodies and whilst it was a fairly chaotic scene we made an initial assumption, which has been confirmed by the Home Office pathologist, that Makram had killed Magda by stab wounds.

“Both died in the living room and kitchen area of the kitchen-diner in the three bedroom ground floor flat.

“It is quite clear what tragic events took place were entirely within that room.”

DCI Bowles said that following a 10 hour post mortem on Wednesday it had been confirmed they both died from stab wounds.

“Makram had stabbed Magda,” he said.

“He then stabbed himself.

“It is incomprehensible any third party wouldn't have been heavily contaminated with blood.

“There was no indication of a break in, there was no blood in the hallway, communal hallway or balcony doors.”

Mr and Mrs Bushara, who were born in Sudan, were both unemployed due to disabilities.

Mrs Bushara had been at the family's church, St Mary and St Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church, where she worked as a cleaner, on the afternoon she was murdered.

Father Youhanna Habib was at the inquest to represent the couple's sons Mina and Zakaria, both in their mid-twenties, and daughter Mariana, who all live at the family home.

He asked for written confirmation of Mr Bushara's mental health problems, so that under their religious beliefs, the 600-family strong congregation can pray for Mr Bushara and his funeral can be held at the church.

Miss Hamilton-Deeley adjourned the inquest to October 15 and released the couple's bodies for burial.