Inquest into death of 'caring, compassionate' 29-year-old whose car crashed into tree

A SUICIDE verdict has been recorded on a man who died when his car crashed into a tree just weeks after he sought help for depression.

Harry Turner (29), from Jacobs Gutter Lane, Totton, suffered multiple injuries when his Vauxhall Insignia came off the road near Winchester just after midnight on 17th December last year, an inquest heard.

In a statement read to Winchester Coroner’s Court, Dr Anthony Chalmers said he saw Mr Turner on 1st December last year. He told him he had been having persistent thoughts of suicide and had previously tried to kill himself.

Dr Chalmers deemed he was a high risk and urgently referred him to the local acute mental health team. Mr Turner was also later prescribed anti-depressants.

PC Alex Dale told the inquest that the emergency services were called to the single-vehicle crash in Longwood Road, Owslebury.

Mr Turner’s Vauxhall Insignia had suffered catastrophic damage after colliding with a tree at high speed, he said. Investigations showed the driver had made no attempt to brake before the crash and he had not been wearing his seatbelt.

A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as multiple injuries. Toxicology tests showed he had no drugs or alcohol in his system. Analysis of his phone showed he had earlier researched suicide methods.

The inquest heard that although Mr Turner spoke with a community mental health nurse on 3rd December by telephone as part of a standard triage assessment, his risk was later downgraded to “soon” and he was given an appointment for a face-to-face meeting on 17th December, the day he died.

Mr Turner’s mother Tina said in a statement: “Harry was a loving person with a caring nature but he was sometimes impulsive and would do things without thinking them through.”

A few days before he died, Mr Turner had turned up unannounced at his parents’ home and confided in his mother that he was suffering from depression and that he had an appointment with the mental health team.

She added that she felt he was relieved and “a weight had been lifted” by talking about his problems. However, she added: “I do feel he acted spontaneously on the night he died. I think if he had intended to do it, he would have left a note. I do believe he wanted to get better.”

In a statement released after his death, his family called him a “shining star” who would be deeply missed. They added: “Harry will forever have a place in our hearts and his memory will live on through us all, as a beloved son, brother, proud uncle and friend.

“Anyone that knew Harry will remember his caring, compassionate personality and his unique sense of humour.”

Coroner Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp recorded a verdict that Harry, a traffic management operative, took his own life.