A company director who is believed to have committed suicide “wasn’t the man he was” after his firm was criticised for supplying the Tasers used during the stand-off with gunman Raoul Moat, his business partner said last night.

Peter Boatman, who was director of operations for Pro-Tect Systems, was found dead at his Northampton home earlier yesterday and is understood to have committed suicide.

The Home Office revoked the firm’s licence to import and sell Tasers on Tuesday after it breached its terms by supplying X12 Tasers, which were still being tested by Government scientists, directly to police involved in the Moat manhunt.

Kevin Coles, Pro-Tect’s managing director, said he and his colleagues were “devastated” by Mr Boatman’s death.

“After recent events he wasn’t the man he was,” Mr Coles said.

“We’re all just dreadfully sorry for (his wife) Steph and the family.”

Pro-Tect was facing possible action by Northamptonshire Police over the breach of the licence.

Speaking on Tuesday, Super-intendent Sean Bell, the force’s head of operations, said the force was “considering whether or not to take further action against Pro-Tect in connection with breaching the conditions of their licence”.

Former police officer Mr Boatman, 57, was previously in charge of assessing the merits of Taser as head of operational training for the Northants force before leaving to join Pro-Tect.

A spokesman for the Daventry-based company, which was the UK’s sole supplier of Tasers, said his death was “an incredibly sad loss”.

Pro-Tect said he showed “incredible passion in bringing a friendly and committed outlook to all he met”.

“It is with great regret we announce the tragic death of our colleague and great friend Peter Boatman today,” the spokesman said.

“At this point, it is inappropriate to comment on this terrible news apart from saying we are devastated and are sharing a state of severe shock and grief with Peter’s family. Since Peter has been a part of our business he has shown incredible passion in bringing a friendly and committed outlook to all he met.”

Home Secretary Theresa May revoked the firm’s licence to import and sell Tasers following an investigation into the use of the weapons at the end of one of Britain’s biggest manhunts.

Last night, a Home Office spokesman said it could not comment while the police inves-tigation was ongoing, but added: “Any such death is a tragedy.”

A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said: “Officers were called to an address in Reynard Way, Kingsthorpe, at 1.09 p.m. this afternoon, where the body of a 57-year-old man was discovered.

“We are not treating the death as suspicious and will be preparing a report for the coroner.

“The family do not wish to be contacted and members of the press are asked to respect their privacy.”

Pro-Tect breached its licence by supplying the X12 Tasers and XRep ammunition, which were still being tested by the Home Office, directly to two police forces.

Armed police fired two Tasers at Moat in an “effort to stop him taking his own life” in the Riverside park area in Rothbury, Northumberland, in the early hours of July 10, an inquest at Newcastle Civic Centre was told.

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