A British hotelier found shot dead in his burnt out Range Rover on one of the world's most idyllic islands had received death threats over his controversial £5.4million bid to take over another luxury resort, an inquest has heard. Oliver Gobat's body was found in the passenger seat of his car in April last year, burned beyond all recognition on a remote track on St Lucia's exclusive Cap Estate - less than two miles from the luxury hotel his family owned. The popular businessman - who was born on the island, but raised in Surrey - had been shot twice in the head before the car was set alight, in what is thought to have been an attempt to destroy any forensic evidence. Killing: Oliver Gobat was shot twice in the head, before his car was set alight on a quiet road in St Lucia . Shock: Family and friends were stunned by the killing of the popular businessman, born on the island . Jealousy: Mr Gobat, 38, ran the luxury Cap Maison - and was involved in a £5.4million deal for another resort . The killing left family and friends - including Carol Vorderman - stunned, but an inquest into his death has revealed Mr Gobat received death threats in the run up to his murder. The inquest, being held in Working, Surrey, heard that Mr Gobat was helping to organise the £5.4million ($8million) takeover of The Landings, a luxury beach resort on St Lucia which had become insolvent. But a rival bidder organised a 'smear campaign' against Mr Gobat, and the 38-year-old had received death threats - which he hid from his family. Mother Helen Gobat told the hearing: 'He was the victim of a smear campaign. 'There was a blog set up called Pirates of the Caribbean. It was intended to damage his reputation. 'We subsequently learned he had received death threats.' His brother Adam - who said Mr Gobat was a very likeable person - added: 'It transpires that the person who was behind the smear campaign was a rival bidder to buy The Landings. 'That person is a UK citizen.' The victim's brother also revealed that after The Landings deal was completed following Mr Gobat's death, another signatory to the consortium received a death threat. Threats: Mother Helen, pictured with husband Theo, told an inquest there was a smear campaign against him . Success: 'He's a good looking, successful chap in St Lucia and it's a small community so there's a lot of jealousy that goes around,' his mother told the inquest in Woking, Surrey . Anger: The family have also been left frustrated with the lack of progress made by local police into the case . Mrs Gobat told the coroner her son, who had worked on St Lucia for 10 years before his death, had probably never expected anyone to kill him over his business dealings but admitted there was likely to have been 'jealousy' towards his success on the island. Mr Gobat ran the luxury Cap Maison hotel with his brothers Adam and Rufus and was a popular figure on the holiday island, welcoming the likes of Amy Winehouse and model Kelly Brook to the boutique hotel. He grew up in Surrey, where he played cricket for his county junior team, and also lived in Adelaide, Australia, before settling back in St Lucia - an independent state of the Commonwealth - to concentrate on the family business. 'Whatever he did he liked to succeed and he was very close to achieving it,' Mrs Gobat told the inquest. 'Thinking the unthinkable': His family questioned whether he would have taken threats over a legitimate business deal seriously . 'He's a good looking, successful chap in St Lucia and it's a small community so there's a lot of jealousy that goes around. 'There were competitors in property and I guess they didn't want him to be any more successful by putting the deal together that he was putting together. 'It was a case of thinking the unthinkable. Why would he think somebody would knock him off for putting through a legitimate business deal with legitimate business partners?' Mrs Gobat also criticised the police investigation in St Lucia, saying 'basic' errors had been made from the beginning, including moving the Range Rover on the night her son was found dead and failing to cordon off the area. At the time police sources were reported as saying that Mr Gobat's death was 'no ordinary murder' and it had 'all the hallmarks of a professional killing' - yet they have failed to charge anyone in connection with the killing. British police have also appeared to be reticent to get involved in the case, with Esher and Walton MP Dominic Raab taking up the families pleas for help last December. The Gobat family - who have a family mansion in Esher, Surrey - has since employed a private investigator to look into the case. 'I hope that his murder wasn't senseless and whoever is behind it is properly dealt with,' she said. Assistant Coroner for Surrey, Dr Karin Englehart, recorded a verdict of unlawful killing, saying the 'manner and mechanism' of Mr Gobat's death were clear. Dr Englehart said it was not her place to comment on the possible reasons for his murder. She said: 'The manner of Ollie's death is a terrible, terrible tragedy that no family should have to endure. No-one should die in this way. 'It had to be someone or some others, for whatever reason, and that is the purpose of other courts, a criminal court, to deal with. 'The manner and mechanism of Ollie's death must be unendurable for both Ollie's parents, his brothers and friends and I offer my sincere condolences to you all.' The Gobat family declined to comment following the conclusion of the inquest.
Oliver Gobat's body found in the passenger seat of his car in April 2014 . The 38-year-old had been shot twice in the head, and his 4x4 burnt out . Friends and family were shocked at Mr Gobat's violent death at the time . But an inquest heard he had received death threats over £5.4m hotel deal . Family say he was a victim of a 'smear campaign' - but kept threats secret .