The family of murdered honeymooners Ben and Catherine Mullany were today given the go-ahead to bury their loved ones.

The family of murdered honeymooners Ben and Catherine Mullany were today given the go-ahead to bury their loved ones. A coroner released the bodies for burial at the opening of an inquest into their deaths. The couple, from the Swansea Valley, were shot in a suspected bungled robbery at the Cocos Hotel, on the Caribbean island of Antigua on July 27. Catherine Mullany, a 31-year-old doctor, died instantly. Her trainee physiotherapist husband Ben, also 31, was flown back to the UK where he died at Morriston Hospital on August 3.

Catherine Mullany, a 31-year-old doctor, died instantly. Her trainee physiotherapist husband Ben, also 31, was flown back to the UK where he died at Morriston Hospital on August 3. Swansea Coroner Philip Rogers adjourned the inquest pending the outcome of inquiries by the police in Antigua. The couple’s families did not attend the five-minute hearing at Swansea’s County Hall. Coroner's officer Howard Davies said he had identified the bodies of both Mr and Mrs Mullany at Morriston Hospital.

Mr Rogers heard evidence from Mr Davies that two post mortem examinations had been carried out on Mrs Mullany after she was certified dead at the Cocos Hotel. He said to Mr Davies: "You have provided me with a death certificate and medical certificate of cause of death from Antigua. "The medical certificate of cause of death gives me a cause of severe penetrating head injury due to a gun shot wound to the head." Mr Davies confirmed that he had made further arrangements for a post mortem examination to be carried out at the University Hospital of Wales, by Home Office pathologist Dr Rik James, since Mrs Mullany’s body was returned to the UK.

He said so far there was only a "provisional" cause of death and that was a gun shot wound to the head. Regarding Mr Mullany, the coroner said there had only been one post mortem examination as he died in the UK after being flown home by his family. Mr Davies said this examination had also been carried out by Dr James, who, pending a full report, gave a provisional cause of death as a gun shot wound to the head. The coroner said Mr Mullany, born on April 24, 1977, and Mrs Mullany, born on March 5, 1977, had lived at Maeslan, Rhos, near Pontardawe. He said he understood the couple’s families wished to have them buried rather than cremated and he signed burial orders to be issued to them via the police.

Mr Rogers said that while a death certificate had already been issued for Mrs Mullany in Antigua, UK law prevented him issuing one for Mr Mullany until the conclusion of the inquest. He instead issued an interim death certificate to be posted to Mr Mullany’s family by the police. Police investigating the murder of the newlyweds appear baffled. There are still no clear suspects although more than 30 people have been arrested in connection with the shootings.

And assistant commissioner Ron Scott, head of the force’s crime unit, resigned at the weekend citing personal reasons. Mr Scott was one of four Canadian police officers brought in earlier this year to transform Antigua’s troubled force. Police spokesman Inspector Cornelius Charles said the resignation was not related to the double shooting or its investigation and Antiguan justice minister Collin Derrick said the resignation would not affect continuing murder investigations. Mr Charles said the investigation was ongoing and investigators were focusing on forensic evidence and reviewing notes, statements and interviews. The 350-strong force has no computers, no crime database and only one forensics-trained officer on the Caribbean isle, which has seen a rise in violent crime in recent months.

A team of five British officers have flown to Antigua to assist with the investigation. Last week, the Home Office denied reports that the Scotland Yard team was held up for three days because of concerns in Whitehall that the couple’s killer could, if caught, be given the death penalty. But the Government is seeking assurances that anyone charged with the crime will not face such a sentence. Antiguan justice minister Collin Derrick said the island’s government would propose the death penalty for crimes involving weapons, even if the victim was not killed, following the double murder of the Mullanys.

The legislation, to be introduced at the next session of parliament, would set a minimum sentence of 25 years in prison, Mr Derrick said. Judges could also impose a sentence of life in prison. Gun traffickers, who are blamed for a recent spike in violence in the tourism-dependent Caribbean nation, could also be sentenced to death under the proposal, Mr Derrick said. "We are getting intelligence reports that there are considerable dealers in firearms," he said.