Soccer veteran joked with wife on day he died
been his ‘ normal self’ in the time leading up to his death.
The only times when he had seemed not entirely himself was the Friday prior to his death when he had been ‘quieter than usual’ during drinks with relatives, and he had also pulled out of a family run at Ruthin the previous weekend due what he said was a ‘migraine’.
PC Daniel Richardson, who examined CCTV footage of Mr Durkan’s movements on February 27, found footage from Runcorn Shopping City showing Mr Durkan buying the items believed to have been used to kill him from The Range store at around 10.30am, with Mr Durkan handing over a £20 note.
Footage obtained from the Old Quay Bridge over the Manchester Ship Canal showed Mr Durkan in a blue Proton car crossing at 11.11am.
An examination of his phone found a text message written – but that had not been sent – that said he loved his wife and other family members.
Its internet search history showed multiple search terms relating to how to take one’s own life and ‘painless’ means to do so. He left no note. Pathologist Nawal Alash found no signs of trauma or injury on Mr Durkan and said his pinkish skin colouring was consistent with carbon monoxide poisoning.
Giving evidence to the inquest, Mrs Durkan said she had sent a text at 2pm on February and not received a reply but as she was in work had to wait until later to follow up with a call.
When she could not make contact, she set off to look for him in places he might usually be.
At 7pm she spoke to Mr Durkan’s mother and became worried when she found out his mum had not heard from him either.
She said: “We message all day, every day and I hadn’t heard from him at all and that’s why I was worried.
“His car wasn’t there and I had been all the places he would normally be and just nothing.
“He had never done anything like this at all.”
The coroner Mrs Welch said that the standard of proof for inquests is based on the balance of probabilities, and as such she concluded that Mr Durkan took his own life and the cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning.
She expressed her condolences to his family and said the shock of someone taking their own life in such circumstances must be ‘unimaginable’.
Mrs Welch said the CCTV evidence, the internet search history, toxicology and post mortem findings indicated Mr Durkan intended to take his own life by carbon monoxide poisoning.
Summarising the unexpected nature of the death, she said: “There was no mental health history.
“There weren’t signs – other than he was a little bit quieter the Friday before – that that was what he was intending to do.
“You had conversations about retiring and growing old together. There was nothing at all to indicate that was ● what he was planning to so.
“Outwardly there was no suggestion he was intending to end his life.”
Mr Durkan is warmly remembered as one the best football players to have come from Runcorn.
In January 1995, he grabbed the opening goal for Wrexham against Manchester United in the fourth round of the FA Cup at Old Trafford in a tie that ended with a 5-2 win for the Premier League giants.
The midfielder had already helped to put Wrexham through in the previous round by scoring a screamer against Ipswich in a 2-1 win at Wrexham’s home ground The Racecourse.
Mr Durkan, affectionately known as ‘Kizza’ at Wrexham, also played for Stockport, Macclesfield, York, Rochdale and Swansea City as well as nonleague teams including Runcorn FC Halton.
According t to Soccerbase.com the midfielder made 269 appearances during his league career, scoring 29 goals.
A minute’s applause took place during a derby clash between W r e x h am AFC and Chester shortly after his death.
Cheshire police said Mr Durkan served as a PCSO in Widnes between 2004 and 2007.
Born in Chester in 1973, he had been employed as a process operator at the time of his death. Helplines and support groups
The NHS Choices website lists the following helplines and support networks for people to talk to.
Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you are feeling, email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org
PAPYRUS (0800 068 4141) supports teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal.
Depression Alliance does not have a helpline, but offers a wide range of useful resources and links to other relevant information.