A WOMAN who last saw her husband eight years ago was asked to speak about any work related “problems” he faced, at an inquest yesterday.

Juliet Sheppard, 31, confirmed Lee Sheppard spoke about quitting his job on Thursday January 30, 2003, the night he went missing aged 26.

The couple both grew up in a small town in New Zealand and around three months after coming to England in April 2002 they moved to a house in Cricklewood Lane, Cricklewood.

Mrs Sheppard last saw her husband before he left their home to go to work at European Metal Recycling (EMR) in Willesden and despite a high risk missing person enquiry, he has never been found.

Mrs Sheppard told the court she remembers her husband being concerned about colleagues smoking marijuana because it meant their performance at work was affected.

She recalled Mr Sheppard disliking pressure put on employees to almost compete against one another and said he “was sick of doing the night shifts” which meant they did not get to spend much time together.

In a diary kept by Mr Sheppard whilst in England, he described his work as “draining at times” and wrote “London is not for me, neither is all this travelling” and “I just want to be back home.”

Despite their plans to return to New Zealand Mrs Sheppard said the “intensity” with which her husband wrote about home had “surprised” her.

David Travers QC, representing EMR, told the court Mr Sheppard had found the password to a computer at work which he used to access pornographic websites on the night he went missing.

Mrs Sheppard said he had not discussed the use of pornography with her and throughout their marriage she was not aware of it.

The computer also showed evidence a white extremist website was entered and Mrs Sheppard agreed she found her husband’s use of the websites shocking and completely out of character. Mr Travers said Mrs Sheppard had informed police her husband was last seen wearing tracksuit bottoms.

A black pair was found by police during a search near a canal close to Mr Sheppard’s place of work.

However, Mrs Sheppard said she later discovered her husband’s black tracksuit bottoms at their home and could not be certain about what he was wearing.

The court also heard how Mr Sheppard’s father spoke to police after his disappearance and suggested his son might have gone looking for work in the sex industry.

Mrs Sheppard said he probably told police this because he was “holding on to hope” his son is alive and wanted them to consider all options regarding his whereabouts.

The inquest at the North London Coroner’s Court is planned to continue until the end of next week.