Overdose dad had substantial debts

A “BRILLIANT, hands-on” dad-of-two took an overdose of medication after struggling with “substantial” debts.

Nigel Mears, 34, was found dead in his car by a park ranger at Cefn Onn Park in Lisvane, Cardiff, on June 22 this year.

Police officers also discovered numerous empty packets of medication as well as debt recovery letters addressed to him in the car.

An inquest into his death held at Pontypridd Coroners’ Court yesterday heard Mr Mears had sent messages to his wife saying “make sure the children know how much I love them” and “it is too late”.

In a statement read out at the inquest Mrs Mears said she had been married to Mr Mears for 10 years and he had been a “brilliant, hands-on father” to their two children, aged four and six.

She said Mr Mears, from Rhiwbina, had suffered from cluster headaches and migraines for which he had been prescribed amitriptyline and codeine.

He had subsequently developed an addiction to codeine and had admitted purchasing the medication online.

She reported Mr Mears missing on June 22 after he failed to return home from work as a contact centre manager for Opus Energy the previous evening.

Mrs Mears said she had attended a counselling session that day to discuss issues with his mounting debt and addiction.

“I told him that we needed to talk,” Mrs Mears said.

Mrs Mears said she received text messages from him saying “make sure the boys know how much I love them” and “it’s too late”. She also noticed he had taken £90 out of their joint account. “I thought he would go to a hotel to calm down,” she said.

When she was unable to contact him the following day Mrs Mears said she reported her husband missing.

In a statement read out to the court PC Mollie Woodham of South Wales Police said she was on duty on Friday, June 22, when she received a call at about 1.30pm notifying her that a Vauxhall Astra registered to Mr Mears had been discovered near Cefn Onn Park in Lisvane.

PC Woodham said Mr Mears was found in the driver’s seat of the car. Empty packets of medication as well as letters from debtors were also found.

In a statement read out to the court Mr Mears’ father Ronald Mears said he and his wife had loaned him £5,000 in 2017 to help him pay off debts but had since told him he didn’t need to pay it back.

In January Ronald Mears said his son had to be taken to A&E after taking a susupected overdose while staying at their home.

He said in the months since “it appeared that the situation was heading in the right direction”.

Ronald Mears said: “The loss of our son will continue to affect us but we hope that lessons can be learned from this unnecessary loss of life.”

Senior Coroner for South Wales Central Andrew Barkley accepted the cause of death given by the pathologist Dr Thomas Hockey of amitriptyline overdose. Summing up, he said: “The history is indeed tragic and deeply, deeply upsetting.

“It appears a very talented and hardworking man fell into the grip of an addiction with opiate medication.

“It seems that he was unable to successfully rid himself of that and fell into substantial debt.” Mr Barkley recorded a conclusion of suicide.

■ For confidential support the Samaritans can be contacted 365 days a year free on 116 123.

■ CAP offer free debt counselling to all, visit https://capuk.org/ or call 01274 760 720.