Sway man Michael Rickman committed suicide after pandemic restrictions left him depressed

THE inquest of an 87-year-old Sway man who died by suicide in the Solent was told how pandemic restrictions had left him depressed.

The hearing at Winchester Coroners’ Court also heard how shortly before his death Michael Rickman, a senior Freemason and dog lover, had told his son to look at his will and handed him £8,000 in cash.

Michael’s body was later found in the sea off the Isle of Wight.

The inquest heard how on 4th November last year Michael had told his son Jonathan, who lived with him, that he was going to see a friend and would be back the next day.

But later that evening at Hurst Spit fisherman Steven Simpson spotted a man in the water and called the coastguard and police.

The next day at 12.15pm a body, which turned out to be Michael’s, was seen drifting in the sea in Yarmouth harbour.

A post-mortem revealed that he had died of cold-water shock which had stopped his heart.

Coroner Jason Pegg said that tablets Michael was taking for high blood pressure would have made him more susceptible to this.

He was also suffering from heart and “significant” lung disease.

In court, Jonathan told how his father was “very secretive” and did not confide in family about his health problems.

He said he had been a very keen Freemason, holding the title of Grandmaster at one time, and had worked as a heating engineer, becoming a company director until retiring.

He and his wife had divorced in 1992 since when Jonathan had gone to live with him.

Jonathan said it had been “very unusual” for his father to say he would not be back until morning.

He said that as his Michael left at 5pm he told him: “Have a look at that will”, which had been on a sideboard for about six months.

Jonathan said his father had also handed him a plastic container containing £8,000 in cash, and told him to look after his beloved pet dog and have it put down if it became ill.

But despite this, Jonathan said his father had left the house in Pauls Lane “in a very happy mood”.

Suzanne Thurgood, a close friend of 20 years, told the inquest how Michael had become very depressed during the pandemic.

She said: “We talked daily on the phone as we could not meet because of Covid. He was very depressed at not being able to see people.

“Freemasonry was a big thing for him, meeting people there. But they weren’t having any meetings.

“He used to go out a lot, he was very sociable.”

She said Michael had never talked about ending his life, adding: “He loved his dog. I find it very strange that he would leave his dog.”

Recording a verdict of suicide, the coroner said Michael was obviously a “very loved father” but Covid had “prevented him leading the life he lived”.

He said the actions he took before he left home indicated he intended to take his life.

Mr Pegg said: “He made his way down to Hurst Spit where he deliberately made his way down to the shoreline.

“The sea was choppy and rough. Michael submerged himself and died as a result of cold-water shock.”

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