Shields reads Woolmer’s final email

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Bob Woolmer was a “little depressed” following his team’s exit from the World Cup and he was looking forward to going home, according to an email that may have been his final words before his death in Kingston, Jamaica last March.

The email, which was sent to his wife, Gill, was read to jurors at the inquest into Woolmer’s death.

“Hi, darling, feeling a little depressed currently as you might imagine,”

the message started.

“I am not sure which is worse, being knocked out in the semifinal at Edgbaston or now in the first round. Our batting performance was abysmal and my worse fears were realised ... I could tell the players were for some reason not able to fire themselves up,”

it added.

He went on to say that he was glad not to have to travel to Guyana and was looking forward to seeing his family again.

“I hope your day was better but I doubt it as you were probably watching ... not much more to add I am afraid but I still love you lots.”

Mark Shields, Jamaica’s deputy police commissioner who was at the heart of the investigation, read the email to jurors. He is among the final witnesses in the inquest which is expected to finish this week.

The fifth week of the inquest got off to a bizarre start when a subpoenaed witness failed to turn up. David Wong Ken, a local DJ who claimed to have evidence about Woolmer’s death, failed to appear under instruction from his lawyer.