'I've left you a present': Message from husband who 'gassed his children' on Father's Day
Source: Daily Mail
June 16, 2008 Author: Jaya Narain
Suicide: Brian Philcox is believed to have gassed himself and his two children in his car at a beauty spot
A father found gassed with his two children had been in despair over a bitter divorce battle.
Security guard Brian Philcox, 53, had lost his job and feared he would have to hand over his house to his estranged wife Evelyn, 37.
After picking up his daughter Amy and son Owen for a weekend access visit, he told his wife: 'I've left you a present. I'll make the papers, just you watch.'
He then drove his Land Rover to a country lane and attached a hose to the exhaust pipe, feeding it through the window before leaving the engine running.
In view of his message, it was initially suspected that Mr Philcox had left an explosive device to kill his wife, who had gone to live with her mother after leaving him.
Surrounding houses were evacuated as Army bomb disposal experts checked her mother's house in Runcorn, Cheshire, but found nothing.
The bodies of Mr Philcox, seven-year-old Amy, and three-year-old Owen were discovered on Father's Day huddled in the rear seat of the Land Rover in Tal-y-cafn, North Wales. All three died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Tragic: Amy, seven, and Owen, three, died huddled up with their father in the back of his Land Rover on a remote country lane in North Wales
Mr Philcox, who was chairman of the Federation of English Karate Organisations, had been due to attend a court hearing this week at which his estranged wife was seeking possession of the family house, which is 100 yards from her mother's home.
The pressure group Fathers 4 Justice confirmed that he had been in touch last week telling of his desperation. He had also told neighbours that the divorce had left him at the end of his tether and would leave him penniless.
He told one friend: 'I've lost my wife, I've lost my kids and I've lost my job. Now I'm going to lose my house. But I'd rather burn it down than see that bitch get it.'
Tributes: A policeman stands guard outside Mr Philcox's home in Runcorn today, where friends and well-wishers had laid flowers and cuddly toys
Last night bomb disposal teams exploded a suspect package sent to a family member in Runcorn. It was not thought to be an explosive device but will be examined by experts.
It was on Friday that Mr Philcox, who had regular access to his children, picked them up from their mother and was seen playing football with them in a park.
On Saturday he took them to the beauty spot of Llangollen in North Wales where they visited the miniature railway.
When he failed to return from the scheduled access visit at 7pm that evening their mother alerted the police who launched a hunt for the missing children - as well as calling in the bomb disposal team. The bodies were found on Sunday afternoon.
Scene of the tragedy: The country lane in North Wales where he parked his car
Mr Philcox had been a karate instructor for more than 30 years and had won championships as a young man.
His first wife, Jan, died from cancer in 1996. After her diagnosis he set up a fundraising charity and won a community award for his efforts.
He married Evelyn McAuliffe in 2000 and the couple had Amy in 2001 and Owen in 2005.
Father's day horror: Forensic officers investigate in dense woodland yesterday
Neighbours said Mr Philcox was prone to violent tempers and would beat up his stepson Ryan McAuliffe, 18.
One said: 'His wife would complain bitterly that he was violent and would regularly hit her son. She was desperately unhappy about and in the end she decided to leave him.
'She went back to live with her mother though he did have access to the children, who were absolutely adorable, and we often saw them round at the house.'
The tragedy happened in the picturesque Conwy Valley
Another neighbour said: 'Mrs Philcox is a stunning looking woman and I know her husband took the separation very hard. He would go round to where she was living and there used to be major arguments.
'He told me he was going to lose everything in the divorce and the stress of it obviously got to him.'
Matt O'Connor, founder of Fathers 4 Justice, said: 'From time to time we get calls from people in an extremely agitated state. He called last week and was in some distress.
Isolated: The Conwy Valley area of Snowdonia in North Wales
'There was some dispute over his house but the kids were the main issue for him and he was worried about losing all custody.'
Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jones said Mrs Philcox was devastated. 'She is being looked after by family liaison officers who are giving her comfort and support, and she has a good network of family and friends around her, but obviously this is a tragic loss.'
