The dates for the inquests of the men at the heart of a shooting in Upper Enham last year have been revealed.

Councillor James Nash was shot on August 5 at his home in the village last year, and died three days later in Southampton General Hospital. The 42-year-old’s inquest will be held on April 19.

The man suspected of shooting him, Alex Sartain, subsequently died in a motorbike crash on August 5 while being pursued by police officers. His inquest will be held on April 21.

Cllr Nash sat on the parish council in Enham, and was shot outside his home at around 3pm on August 5, with his wife Sarah also sustaining injuries. Alex Sartain was suspected of having carried out the shooting, and drove towards Hurstbourne Tarrant on a motorbike.

He failed to stop for officers, and subsequently crashed on the A343. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Cllr Nash was taken to hospital in the interim, and subsequently died at Southampton General on August 8. His mother, Gillian, paid tribute to her “beautiful, talented son” and said that the family “will never come to terms with this evil.”

An inquest was opened into the deaths of both on August 18, where Winchester Coroner’s Court heard from Dr Amanda Jeffrey, who carried out post-mortems on both men. Cllr Nash was said to have died of head and facial injuries, while Alex Sartain died of multiple injuries he sustained.

The inquests were subsequently adjourned.

In September, the father of Alex Sartain, John, spoke out on his son’s treatment for paranoid schizophrenia, saying that he was “very let down” by mental health professionals.

He said that he had asked for his son to be sectioned following a deterioration in his mental state in July, but health officials said that there was no threat to life or evidence of a crime having been carried out.

John Sartain said: “Within two weeks, he’s taken a life. I just find that hard to believe that after being sectioned twice, no one actually bothered to make a call to follow it up.”

Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust said at the time it was “reviewing” its contact with the Sartain family.

The inquests into the deaths of both men will now be reopened, with a coroner to rule on the circumstances of each.

Cllr Nash’s inquest will be held on April 19 at 10am, while Alex Sartain’s will be held on August 21 at 10am.

The Advertiser will be present to report on the inquests when they occur.