A manufacturing tycoon has described the horrifying moment his troubled son held an air pistol to his head and shot himself dead – but told how he still believes his death was an accident.
James Keeping, 25, who had been suffering mental health problems, had been drinking and was argumentative on the day he died at the family’s £1.5million Oxfordshire farmhouse.
He had studied at £8,000-per-term Bloxham School in Banbury and £12,000-per-term d’Overbroeck’s School in Oxford, achieving A levels in politics, economics and drama before taking a degree in marketing and management at Newcastle University.
But after graduating in 2024 he had struggled to find a meaningful career, working in short-term jobs in a delicatessen and for a mushroom farm, while becoming depressed over his lack of progress.
James had spoken about his attempts to find work on his LinkedIn account, writing: ‘I know I don’t have a long CV yet, but I’m willing, motivated, and not afraid to get stuck in.
‘I’ve shown I can adapt and persevere, whether that was working on earthquake relief efforts in Nepal or supporting conservation diving projects in Mexico.
‘Those experiences taught me to stay grounded, stay curious, and never take opportunities for granted. More than anything, I’m looking for a role where I can learn, contribute, and grow.
‘If you’re hiring, or if you’re happy to share any advice with someone just starting out, I’d genuinely appreciate it.’
James Keeping with his father – the Karcher jetwash tycoon Simon Keeping. The graduate, 25, shot himself dead with an air pistol in February
A profile picture on James’s LinkedIn page. He had struggled to find a meaningful career while becoming depressed over his lack of progress
A picture of James on his father’s LinkedIn profile. Simon Keeping also posted messages on the social media platform asking those he knew if anyone could help his son find employment
Shortly before his son’s death, business leader Simon Keeping, 65, had posted on LinkedIn asking those he knew if anyone could help James find employment.
The tycoon – who ran jetwash firm Karcher for 20 years – wrote that it could be ‘tough for young people to get that first “proper job”‘, adding: ‘Call it nepotism, but I would love to give my son James that break.
‘If you wouldn’t mind sharing with your networks I know he and I would really appreciate it.’
James had replied: ‘I didn’t realise my dad was sending this. Thanks Dad.’
Mr Keeping told an inquest at Oxford Coroner’s Court that when James, his only son, had fired the weapon he did not believe he intended to kill himself because it was an air pistol – a weapon not normally associated with fatalities.
He said James had suffered increasing problems in the months leading up to his death and was in a bad mood following a late night and drinking.
Mr Keeping said: ‘He got the air pistol out, went “Ha!” and put it to his head. There was a bang, and everything went silent.
‘I don’t believe that he meant to take his own life.’
Mr Keeping explained: ‘Common sense said that this modified air pistol wouldn’t have worked, but it did.’
James carried out the fatal act at the family farm in Duns Tew near Bicester, Oxon, on February 15 this year, soon after saying goodbye to his girlfriend, with whom he had just celebrated Valentine’s Day.
James had seen a doctor about his mental health and had admitted to having some suicidal thoughts, but had also said he did not feel he could hurt people he cared about by taking his own life.
His girlfriend Lesha Jennings, who had known him for five years, told the inquest in a statement: ‘It was clear his mental health was spiralling. He said life was s***. He said how hard it was.’
She recalled that the previous day, Valentine’s Day, they had gone out together before returning to the Keeping family home and stayed up late.
‘We got back to his and we stayed up talking about how he was feeling until about 4am,’ she said.
James continued drinking the following day before he and his father took Lesha back to her home in Oxford.
Still upset on their return, he initially grabbed a knife from the kitchen and started waving it around.
He had become argumentative and was bemoaning his unemployment.
Although his father persuaded him to put the knife away, he then got out the modified air pistol, pointed it at his head and shot himself.
An ambulance was called, but James was already dead.
Toxicology reports showed that he had 234 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood at the time of his death, nearly three times the drink-drive limit.
The inquest heard that James was born in Austin, Texas, but had been adopted by Mr Keeping and his wife Christine, 63, at an early age.
James pictured with his father when they were younger. Simon Keeping ran jetwash firm Karcher for 20 years
Simon Keeping, pictured, described the horrifying moment his troubled son held an air pistol to his head and shot himself dead – but told an inquest he still believes his death was an accident
Mr Keeping, who had served as managing director of the German cleaning equipment company from 2005 until last year, told the court his son had been a member of the shooting club during his time and had, at one point, held a shotgun licence.
However, he had been diagnosed with ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder, as well as experiencing anxiety, and so had given the licence up.
Mr Keeping said James had a tendency to become ‘hyper-fixated’ on things and had taken an interest in air pistols and modifying them – including, it’s thought, the one which would kill him.
Coroner Nicholas Graham said that he could not record a verdict of suicide, but could also not record one of accidental death, either, and delivered a narrative verdict.
He said: ‘There is insufficient evidence to conclude that he intended to take his own life.’
