Mystery of why lorry driver took his own life

ALCOHOL IN HIS SYSTEM BUT ‘UNLIKELY TO HAVE EFFECT ON HIS DECISION’

A LORRY driver took his own life after finishing a night shift at DHL in Castle Donington last year.

Lee Byard was found by his wife hanging in his father’s garden on October 10 last year.

He had texted her in the early hours of that day and told her to meet him at their home, but instead he went to his father’s house, reports our sister paper, The Derby Telegraph.

An inquest at Derby Coroner’s Court this week heard the 49-yearold was found with bottles of what appeared to be port and medication that was not prescribed to him.

Assistant coroner Louise Pinder said Mr Byard, of Whitehead Close, Ilkeston, was last seen alive by a colleague at his place of work.

She said: “He had been at work from 11am on October 9 and had left at 2am the following morning. Lee and his wife had been in regular contact via phone calls and text messages. At around 1.30am on the 10th she sent a text saying she couldn’t sleep.

“He had arranged to come to the home address at 6.30am.

“Lee sent a text to his wife’s son at around 2am to wish him a happy birthday.”

The inquest heard Mr Byard’s wife became concerned when her husband did not come home as arranged and went to his father’s address to find him dead in the garden. There was also a nearly-empty bottle of what appeared to be vodka inside the house along with a glass.

The coroner said Mrs Byard called the ambulance service and was told to attempt CPR but this was not successful.

A toxicology report found alcohol in Mr Byard’s system, equivalent to being 25 per cent over the drinkdrive limit, as well as painkillers.

However, the inquest heard that the painkillers were unlikely to have contributed to his death and the alcohol “was unlikely to have had any effect on his decision-making”.

A report from Mr Byard’s GP said there was no evidence of recent or ongoing mental health issues. There was also no evidence of third-party involvement.

However, Mr Byard did not leave a suicide note and therefore it was not clear why he decided to take his own life.

The inquest heard that Mr Byard was under investigation by Derbyshire Police at the time of his death but the coroner said this was not relevant to her inquiries.

She said: “Lee Byard was found deceased at his father’s home on October 10, 2019. Given the method employed, and even in the absence of a suicide note, my finding on the balance of probabilities is that Mr Byard took his own life.

“There are no suspicious circumstances. A formal conclusion of suicide will be recorded.”