A MAN accused of raping an under-age girl was found dead in his garage in Berrow, an inquest heard. David Perrett, aged 61, died from carbon monoxide poisoning after attaching a tube from the exhaust to the passenger window of his Toyota 4x4 and turning t

A MAN accused of raping an under-age girl was found dead in his garage in Berrow, an inquest heard.David Perrett, aged 61, died from carbon monoxide poisoning after attaching a tube from the exhaust to the passenger window of his Toyota 4x4 and turning the engine on. His body was discovered by his wife, Marilyn, after she returned from her cleaning job on December 7. Paramedics and police were called, but Mr Perrett was already dead. Speaking at an inquest into her husband's death, Mrs Perrett said: "I found notes on the table kitchen and knew he was dead. He had tried to kill himself once before so I knew what was happening. "I rushed out to the garage and found him slumped in the car."Police had interviewed Mr Perrett just before his death and were planning to formally charge him with raping a girl under 16 in Bristol, indecently assaulting a girl aged under 14 in Bristol, indecently assaulting a young female in Cornwall, assaulting a 13-year-old girl in Burnham and raping a girl in Burnham.The incidents in Bristol were said to have occurred between 1995 and 1996, when David was working for the council as a bin man. The family then moved to Cornwall for three years, where one of the other offences allegedly took place, before moving to Burnham a few years ago. A teacher from a local school then became concerned about one of their female pupils and approached the police. Mr Perrett was interviewed on September 20 after police were told by social services that a young teenage girl had made a complaint to her teacher about sexual abuse between the ages of four and 14. Mr Perrett was found dead a fortnight before he was due back at the police station.Coroner Michael Rose returned a verdict of death by carbon monoxide poisoning. He said: "No civilised society will tolerate this sort of behaviour and this is something Mr Perrett was obviously aware of. The deceased took his own life and the man's mind was obviously disturbed. "My one hope in this tragedy is that other people will recognise the same in themselves and seek the help they need.