A businessman found dead on Eldwick Moor was driven to suicide following his 'human shield' treatment in Iraq at the hands of Saddam Hussein.

A Bradford inquest heard that Brian James had been put in front of a firing squad and fired at with blank bullets when he was held hostage.

Mr James, who was born in Bradford, was working in Kuwait when Iraqi forces invaded the country in 1990. He was taken to an oil refinery in southern Iraq and held captive for four months.

The ordeal made him withdrawn, and eight years later he was found dead near Dick Hudson's pub on the snow-covered moor, near Bingley.

The inquest was told a post-mortem examination revealed self-inflicted wounds on Mr James's chest, abdomen and neck. The cause of death was an overdose of aspirin.

Recording a suicide verdict on the 47-year-old banker, Coroner Roger Whittaker said: ''Not only was he used as a human shield, he was placed before a false firing squad for a sadistic purpose.''

The hearing was told that Mr James, was a private person who did not drink or smoke. He was living in South Dulwich, London, after returning to Britain from working abroad.

In a statement, Martin James said his brother had difficulty forming relationships and events during the Gulf War had made him more introverted.

He went to live in New York for three years after his ordeal where he ran up credit card debts.

Mr James's body was found by a man walking with his children on Eldwick Moor, near Bingley, on April 15.

The grisly discovery near the Dick Hudson's Pub sparked a police investigation which eventually led to inquiries from the Metropolitan Police. He was eventually identified when police matched designer clothing he was wearing with similar clothes found at his London home.

Today his relatives spoke of their shock and surprise at the treatment he had received when he was held captive by the Iraqis.

His cousin David Rhodes, 55, of Nidderdale Walk, Baildon, said: "I was very sad when I found out. I can't describe how I felt. I didn't know he had been tortured. I had not seen him for 40 years and was really looking forward to seeing him when he was found - only a mile or two from our house."

He added Mr James had written to him out of the blue saying he wanted to get back in touch and meet relatives but he had killed himself before this could happen.

Another cousin June Oddy, of Birkenshaw said: "The whole thing is a complete surprise to me. The family were quite surprised and shocked and upset. He had not been in touch for quite a while though he had some contact with my brother Richard.

"I know he had not been well for a long time but I had not seen him for 20 years or so. I knew him as a little boy. He was a normal lad from a normal family."

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