A woman who killed her son took a fatal drugs overdose four days after the anniversary of his birthday, an inquest heard yesterday.

Lesley Wessel died alone at home just months after being released from a jail-term for killing 13-year-old Alex Gosselin.

She had been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison at Lewes Crown Court in 2001 after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

Wessel had tricked Alex into taking the tranquilliser temazepam, telling him they were vitamin pills, before strangling him with a cord.

She had also tried to take her own life and was found almost dead next to her son's body at the family home in Findon, West Sussex, in September 2000.

A hearing in Lincoln was told yesterday how Wessel was diagnosed with breast cancer in February this year, shortly after her release from prison.

The 45-year-old had served two years of her sentence for Alex's manslaughter before being freed from Morton Hall Prison in Swinderby, Lincolnshire.

Wessel, who worked as a customer services adviser following her release, was found dead at her home in Larne Road, Lincoln, on August 7.

She failed to to turn up for work and was discovered collapsed in her bedroom just four days after what would have been Alex's 16th birthday.

The inquest heard that also in the room were a large number of tablets and a pad on which she had written a note that began: "No more, please."

A post-mortem failed to find a cause of death but toxicology tests later confirmed Wessel had taken an overdose of anti-depressant pills.

A statement from her GP revealed she had refused treatment for her cancer and seemed to "use her illness rather than her prison sentence as punishment".

Recording a verdict of suicide, Lincoln Deputy Coroner Dr Timothy Wallace said: "She was aware she was suffering from a malignant disease with no cure."

Alex's father Timothy Gosselin was not present during the inquest but had told of his feelings after learning of the death of his former wife.

Speaking at the time, he said: "It was inevitable that she would try to commit suicide.

"Why she was released early I don't know."