A MAN died from self-inflicted stab wounds after suffering years of depression, an inquest has heard.

John Scales, 59, was found, dressed, in his bath in Union House, Skipton, on the evening of March 20 this year.

An inquest sitting at Skipton Magistrates' Court on Wednesday was told Mr Scales had moved earlier that year to Skipton from Hull to live closer to his sister, Pamela Emms, and her husband.

Earlier that day Mr Scales and his sister had walked along Gargrave Road and through the park and had arranged for him to have tea at her house that evening.

She sent him a text message at 1.21pm asking if he was all right and he messaged back almost immediately: "okay".

He had not arrived at 5pm to Mrs Emms' home so at around 6pm she and her husband went to the flat and found him in the bath holding a kitchen knife with a six inch blade in his right hand.

There was blood on his abdomen and hands.

An ambulance was called and paramedics pronounced him dead at 6.47pm.

Mr Scales was a quiet person who was said to have had a troubled past, suffering from depression, and had tried to take his own life on more than one occasion after which he was sectioned for a while.

Toxicology reports said there were therapeutic levels of prescription medication in his system suggesting there was no overdose.

A post mortem examination showed several small cuts to the stomach area and a deeper penetrated wound to the chest.

Police forensic experts deducted there had been no third party involvement, no sign of any disturbance in the flat and no note had been left.

Senior coroner Rob Turnbull recorded a verdict, given Mr Scales' mental health problems and previous attempts on his life, that he had committed suicide.