Chester man hanged himself from high rise building

Sep 24 2008 by Naomi Dunning, Chester Chronicle

A RETIRED construction worker who hanged himself from a high rise Chester building left a “parting gift” of some money and a note which said “have a drink”, an inquest heard.

John David Ross, aged 66, of Thackeray Towers, Chester was spotted hanging from his eighth floor balcony by a woman in the building opposite at 7am on May 31.

Angela Mackenzie, of Haygarth Heights, told the inquest at Chester Magistrates Court: “I came through to my front room and looked across through the window and saw him hanging from his balcony.”

PC Philip Broad arrived at the building not long after Miss Mackenzie’s call and said he had to break into Mr Ross’s flat. PC Broad said the flat was “very tidy” and there was a half empty whisky bottle on the floor.

Cheshire coroner Nicholas Rheinberg said: “It appears there was also a black and white photograph of a woman on the sofa. We think this is of his mother.”

PC Broad said: “There is also what appears to be a present. A small box, wrapped up with a distinctive wrapping paper. In the box was a watch and an amount of money, it was addressed to another male which said “have a drink”.

“The male was a friend of the deceased, he was probably more of an acquaintance.”

Mr Rheinberg said: “It seems this was probably a parting gift.”

Joyce Woolley, of Talbot Street, Mr Ross’s cousin, said: “I didn’t think he had that many friends, but since he died I found he had more friends than I realised.”

Mr Rheinberg said the cause of death was hanging and that Mr Ross took his own life.