Defendant killed himself on day he was due in court

Steel erector facing assault charges had history of mental illness

A man who took his life in his flat was suffering from mental health issues and had made an “identical” attempt just months earlier, an inquest heard.

Jason Toomey, 38, who lived in New Town Green, Ashford, was found dead at 8.38am on Thursday, July 25.

Mr Toomey, a steel erector, was set to face charges in court that day for assault, criminal damage and stalking. He had denied the charges. The inquest into his death, on Wednesday of last week, heard that there was no third-party involvement or suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.

Det Sgt Simon Johnson, who investigated the incident, said: “He was down to face charges and he had intended to go to court with his family, to support him.”

The evening before, he had accompanied his family to the French Connection restaurant at Ashford’s Orbital Park.

DS Johnson added: “The family tried calling Mr Toomey and they arrived at his address and gained entry into the block but there was no reply.”

Police investigations found letters addressed to different people in his family and confirmed they had not been written by Mr Toomey directly before he took his life.

DS Johnson said that some of them had been written on prison paper while Mr Toomey was on remand.

The post mortem found that Mr Toomey had been drinking and that he had taken cocaine.

Mr Toomey had hanged himself.

Assistant coroner Christine Freedman said: “He had some mental health problems which had caused him to consider selfharming and in March of this year to make a serious attempt.

“He clearly at the time had a number of personal problems arising from the termination of his relationship and problems with seeing his daughter.

“It appears from the police investigation that the steps he took on July 25 were identical to those he had began in March.

“Sadly, on this occasion his planning and preparation resulted in his death.”

Mrs Freedman recorded a verdict of suicide.

In August arsonists were condemned by family friends who found Mr Toomey’s belongings burnt in the street.

Items from the flat where he had lived for nearly 20 years had been removed and placed outside for collection.

An Ashford Borough Council spokesman confirmed at the time that Mr Toomey had been a council house tenant, and said keys had been given to his family in order to clear the property.

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Picture: Claire Smith Sick: Jason Toomey’s belongings were set on fire by vandals after they were left for collection on the street