Coroner reports on five young men found hanging

Mar 20 2008 by Kerry-Lynne Doyle, Glamorgan Gazette

INQUESTS into five young men found hanging in the borough were heard yesterday (Wednesday).

Bridgend Coroner’s Court heard inquests into the deaths of Allyn Price, Leigh Jenkins, Andrew O’Neil, Gareth Morgan and Jason Williams.

Coroner Phillip Walters said: “The only thing that I am happy to be placed on record is that I hope these events in Bridgend have been the catalyst to give us a national strategy covering the whole of Wales for young deaths.”

The first inquest was into the death of Allyn Price, who was found hanging in Salisbury Road, Maesteg, last May.

In a statement read to the court, the 24-year-old’s girlfriend, Alisha Austin, recounted a phone conversation they had on the day he died.

“He said ‘I have got nothing to live for. Will you always be there for me?’I said ‘Yes, of course’,” said Miss Austin.

Allyn’s father, Gwynfor Price, said he saw his “happy-go-lucky” son in the kitchen at about 7.30pm before later finding him hanging.

Pathologist Dr Alan Martin Rees said traces of the amphetamine MDMA, cocaine and morphine were found in Mr Price’s body.

Recording a narrative verdict, Mr Walters said there needed to be “definite intention” for a verdict of suicide.

“I would accept what Dr Rees has said that the drugs could have affected his mood and judgement,” he said.l The next inquest was into the death of Mr Price’s friend, Leigh Jenkins, who was found on June 3.

The inquest heard the 22-year-old was extremely upset about Mr Price’s death as he had lived just four doors away from him in Salisbury Road.

In a statement, Mr Jenkins’s mother, Beverly, told the inquest her son had been plagued by images of his friend’s face and had expressed a desire for them to “be together”.

She said her son visited his friend’s grave every day and had seen a GP about his depression when he was 19.

Bridgend Coroner Philip Walters recorded a narrative verdict after hearing Mr Jenkins was three times over the drink-drive limit and had amphetamines in his system when he died.

“Leigh Jenkins hanged himself while under the influence of alcohol, MDMA and MDA and the cause of death is, as given, asphyxia due to a ligature around the neck,” said Mr Walters.