An inquest has heard that Jamie Coulthard, a 19-year-old 'outgoing' man hanged himself at his home after receiving a £600 rail fine, fearing he was going to be sent to prison.
According to Daily Mail UK, Jamie Coulthard, 19, was fined for not paying for a ticket but became worried when the penalty rose when letters about it were missed because they were sent to the wrong address.
He was found at home in Chorley, Lancashire, by his mother Tracy Woodcock when she came home from work in March this year.
Mr Coulthard, who had ADHD, had attended the first hearing of his case at Preston Magistrates' Court, but failed to turn up for his next appearance on February 1, where he was handed the largest fine in his absence.
An inquest at Preston Coroners Court heard that the 'outgoing and full of life' teen had 'frustrations' with his life as he was unable to find a job.
The coroner was told on the day of his death he had been at home waiting to meet someone coming to buy a family car.
But when his mother came home she found him dead. She told the inquest: 'He was funny and outgoing and I had a good relationship with him.
'I think he was very frustrated that he was unable to find a job that he wanted to do. He was also quite upset about the fine that he had. The letters had gone to a different address and by the time we realised it had built up to £600.
'He thought, he really thought that he was going to have to go to prison and he was upset by it. We did go to Preston once but they weren't very helpful and it got adjourned because the prosecution didn't turn up.
'All the time it was playing on his mind. I told him if it came to it that I would pay it for him and it was fine.'
Ms Woodcock added: 'He was diagnosed with ADHD when he was five and he continued taking medication for it for ten years.
'He would still have some trouble concentrating after that but he seemed to get a lot better.
'I think maybe he thought that it had something to do with him not being able to find work.
'He never said anything to me about suicide or self-harm. I don't understand why he did it. It was totally unexpected.'
Mr Coulthard's girlfriend of four years, Sarah Gibson, told the inquest that the pair had met online playing games on the PlayStation 3 around eight years ago, and had become very close since.
On March 1, the night before his death, he had been playing a computer game with Miss Gibson and four friends and had been talking to them via Skype.
Miss Gibson said he seemed his 'normal, happy self'.
She added: 'We were a mutual support to each other. He was extremely worried about the rail fine and he didn't know what to do about it.
'When he went to court and was then sent away he didn't understand why he was being sent away and he was upset about it.
'It was something he talked about a lot. The last time I saw him he seemed his usual happy and outgoing self.
'When we played the game and spoke on Skype on the evening before he died he seemed perfectly fine and we planned ComicCon.
'It's a convention and I remember he was disappointed that we couldn't get admission at 9am and had to get the 11am tickets.'
She added she was aware he had a history of self harming because of the stigma of his ADHD.
Miss Gibson added: 'He had spoken to me about self-harming. He used to self-harm a lot, with teachers at school telling him that he wouldn't amount to anything because of his ADHD.
'He didn't do it enough for everyone around him to notice, but he did cut his arms and hands. When we first met he gave me his penknife so he wouldn't do it again and he hasn't done it since.
'Jamie did once tell me that he was going to climb over and go onto the railway tracks near his old house, but I talked him out of it.
'It was years ago and he did have his down moments but we both did and I thought that he was getting better.
'I think he is not suffering anymore and that he must have been suffering for him to want to do that in the first place.
'He wasn't the type to do it for attention or anything, he was the type that if he was going to do something then he was going to do it.
'I think that's why he didn't contact me that day because he knew that I would talk him out of it.'
No drugs or alcohol were found in his system at the time of his death and no notes were found at the property.
Coroner Richard Taylor recorded a conclusion of suicide, adding: 'I am sorry you have had to relive this in an open forum and I am very sorry for your loss.
'I have heard of a bright, amusing and thoughtful young man who was upset that he was unable to find work, and upset about his outstanding fine.
'He clearly dwelled on the fine and mentioned it on many occasions and thought that he was going to be sent to prison despite reassurances.'
He added: 'I cannot answer the question of why he did this, and that is the question families always want to know, why it happened.'
Comments