A MAN took his own life at his workplace because he couldn’t face changing his job, an inquest heard.
David Lloyd Smith, 47, was found hanged at the BT building on St John Street, Chester, at 5.45am on December 3 last year by a colleague who had arrived early for work.
An inquest heard how Mr Smith, of Victoria Road, Saltney, had been a BT engineer since he was16.
Cheshire coroner Nicholas Rheinberg heard how Mr Smith’s life and self-worth revolved around his work but a drop in his team’s workload led to him and others being transferred to a transitional department in June last year.
He became anxious and depressed and turned to alcohol.
His GP, wife and mental health specialists said he had a burning anger towards his employer.
This led to arguments with his wife, Suzanne, whom he would leave at home most evenings with their children while he drank in a pub.
He was prescribed medication for anxiety and depression but took an overdose in October as his marriage got into difficulty, an incident that was described as a cry for help.
On his birthday in November, he was found by police in his car, having connected a hosepipe to the exhaust, and spent time in hospital.
He left the family home on December 2 and told his wife he wasn’t coming back. He was found hanged the next morning.
Verdict: Suicide.
