A 20-year-old young man who wrote that there was ‘no good in the world’ asphyxiated himself using a gas, an inquest ruled.
Joshua Green was found dead at his family home on Knowles Street in Rishton by his brother Rick Holbrook on July 27.
Coroner Michael Singleton told Blackburn Coroners Court that in his 22 years in the job he had never encountered such a “troubled soul”.
Mr Holbrook, 32, gave evidence to the hearing that Joshua, who worked as an IT specialist, had seemed ‘normal’ in the weeks preceding his suicide.
He said: “I wouldn’t say he was troubled. Every time I left him I would give him a hug and say ‘I love you’ and he’d do likewise. He just seemed normal - still going out with his friends, walking the dog. I always thought he was scared of death.
“It was a shock, I didn’t think he’d ever do that.”
Joshua had been referred to a mental health team in May 2012 and underwent cognitive behavioural therapy until leaving the programme September 2013.
His care coordinator Patrick O’Brien told the hearing that Joshua never showed any ‘psychosis or any suicidal intention’ and he was never re-referred back to the mental health team.
He said: “Joshua wanted to be a dentist, he was quite a bright boy.
“We looked at getting him into college and I supported him with his confidence building.
“His life was really on track, he was really well so we decided to close the case.
“I saw him about four months ago, he was working at the Range [a store in Blackburn] and he was very, very positive.
“He told me he’d done a portfolio and he was going to be a model. He was going back into IT and everything seemed to be going really well for him.”
Pathologist Dr Deepa Jacob told the court that there was no evidence of any alcohol or drugs in his body and a post-mortem examination found the cause of death was asphyxiation.
However it was not possible to confirm the exact date of death.
The inquest heard that extensive notes left by Joshua on his computer expressed his clear intention to take his own life.
Addressing Joshua’s family at the hearing Coroner Singleton urged them not to torture themselves with “if-onlys”.
In reaching a conclusion of suicide, he said: “It is not in the normal order of events to bury your children.
“I have done this job for 22 years and I have always been overwhelmed by the fact that the mind is capable of going to some very dark places, but I don’t think I have ever read such a troubled soul.
“Clearly this wasn’t something that happened overnight.
“Having read what I have read I do not believe that there is anything that anybody professional or otherwise could have done that would have affected the outcome.
“He could see no good in the world or his place in it. The only comfort you can take is that Joshua is at least at peace, whatever that is.”
Speaking after the inquest Joshua’s family said they had to accept his choice to end his life
Joshua’s brother Rick Holbrook said: “We have had brief insight from the court of what he was thinking, but that was just him, he kept his thoughts to himself.
“He was fed up in general, I don’t think he wanted to be here. The hearing gives answers but more on how not on why.
“But you can’t just sit in a corner and dwell. No one took him, he took himself. We have to accept it because it was by his own design.
“He was very self-sufficient, it was his own choice.”
Mr Holbrook said that Joshua, who was very popular and had friends all around Accrington and Blackburn, struggled with the pressures of social media.
He said: “He had so many mates, he was really well known.
“He’s never really been troubled but I think it’s a lot harder being yourself, especially with more social media and boasting between friends. It’s hard to get into and it’s scary, there’s so much pressure nowadays.
“He had one life on the outside and another deep inside, in his private thoughts.
“I will read the material he left on his computer once the coroner releases it but I doubt it will give us any answers.”
Helplines and websites
Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year.
If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org .
Childline (0800 1111) runs a helpline for children and young people in the UK.
Calls are free and the number won’t show up on your phone bill. PAPYRUS (0800 068 41 41) is a voluntary organisation supporting teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal.
Depression Alliance is a charity for people with depression.
It doesn’t have a helpline, but offers a wide range of useful resources and links to other relevant information. http://www.depressionalliance.org/
Students Against Depression is a website for students who are depressed, have a low mood or are having suicidal thoughts.
Bullying UK is a website for both children and adults affected by bullying.http://studentsagainstdepression.org/
The Sanctuary (0300 003 7029) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year, for people who are struggling to cope - experiencing depression, anxiety, panic attacks or in crisis.
