A young man who split up with his girlfriend and lost his job during lockdown took his own life after struggling with his mental health, an inquest heard. Oliver Smith, 28, was found hanged at his home in Rochdale by his dad on January 18, this year.
An inquest at Rochdale coroners court heard Mr Smith, who was known as Ollie, had endured a 'difficult pandemic' and was suffering with depression. The Huddersfield University electrical engineering graduate had moved in with his girlfriend at start of lockdown in March 2020, but they split up and he moved out in November that year.
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The following March he was made redundant and then struggled to find a new job. Giving evidence at the inquest on Monday, Mr Smith's mum Sonia Smith described him as a 'unique character'
She said: "The biggest issue he had was trying to get a job. He had some quite strong views on things and that could impact him in terms of getting a job and keeping a job.
"But if you got him in a social setting with his family, he was the life and soul of the party. He loved to chat, but that didn’t always come over."
Mr Smith, who played lacrosse for Rochdale Lacrosse Club, drank alcohol and smoked cannabis as a way of dealing with his depression, the inquest heard. He also took spice for a short spell because he’d learnt through research that it wouldn’t show up when he was drug tested at work.
The inquest heard how on Thursday, January 13, Mr Smith was meant to attend a family gathering at his grandmother's house following the birth of his nephew. However that afternoon his mum found him drunk on the settee at her home.
She sent him home and later that night he called her in a 'distressed state and told her he 'did not want to be here'. Mrs Smith then rushed to her son's home on Mansfield Road in Bamford.
She said: "I put my arms round him and held him for about 10 minutes. He was very, very angry and upset.
"He said the world was against him, that everything had gone wrong. I just kept saying to him you have a big family, we all love you, you are never going to be on your own."
Mrs Smith said she then spent a 'couple of hours with him trying to find out what was wrong' and urged him to seek professional help, which he promised to do. That weekend Mr Smith spoke to his family on a number of occasions and 'seemed in good spirits', the inquest.
But on Tuesday, January 18, after Mr Smith didn't show up to do some work at his dad Kelvin's house he was found by his father hanged in the front room of his home on Mansfield Road. A note was on the floor underneath him.
The inquest heard earlier that day Mr Smith had spoken to his GP about his depression and suicidal thoughts and been given an urgent referral to mental health services.
Toxicology tests found no evidence of drug or alcohol use. A post mortem gave the cause of death as hanging.
Assistant coroner Alex Preston gave a conclusion of suicide. Addressing Mr Smith's family she added: "Oliver was very obviously loved by you all.
"He should have had a long life ahead of him. He seems like a kind and helpful man who had a difficult pandemic.
"He split in his relationship, he struggled to find a work, he was reluctant to seek even when his mental health seriously declined. I find this to be far too common in young men of his age. It's of great regret that he didn't seek help or share with his family how he was feeling, because I'm sure you would have helped."
