Mr Ramsden was arrested after Paula's death

Mr Ramsden, 38, had been arrested shortly after his wife's mysterious fall but was later released without charge.

He rejected suggestions that he pushed her to her death in order to collect a life insurance pay-out and start a new life with his mistress.

However, East Sussex coroner Mr Craze said that everyone was united in regarding Paula's death on 9 January 2000 as suspicious.

He described Mr Ramsden as manipulative and as a control freak and said he had a motive for killing his wife.

Earlier the inquest heard how Mrs Ramsden's life insurance policy had been changed.

The policy taken out on her life in 1994, which would have paid out �104,000 was changed in October 1999, three months before her death.

The new policy would have paid out more than �225,000.

Murder trial

Mr Craze ruled out a verdict of unlawful killing, saying it could not be proven that Mr Ramsden had murdered his wife.

However, he said: "This inquest has been like a murder trial but there is no prosecution."

Mr Craze said that if 100 people had been asked - 'Do you believe he killed his wife?' - a very considerable number would say yes.

"In my judgment he would have been capable of doing so," said Mr Craze.

New evidence

"He has been shown to be dishonest, egocentric, manipulative and a control freak."

During the inquest Mr Ramsden said: "I did not push her off.

"It was not coming to an end - me and Paula were on top of the world."

Detective Inspector Tim Guyton said he would now be reviewing the evidence put before the coroner.

He said: "There are questions that remain unanswered."

He added that there was at least one area of evidence that emerged during the inquest that will be investigated, but he refused to give any more details.