Inquest told doting dad took own life
ADOTING dad who battled paranoid schizophrenia took his own life, an inquest heard.
Anthony Allan Pollard, 45, ‘intelligently’ managed his condition for years, but had his medication altered after missing a blood test, which led to a difficult period.
Stockport (Greater Manchester south) Coroners’ Court heard Mr Pollard, who was diagnosed aged 18, heard voices telling him he had antibodies for coronavirus. The voices also led him to question whether he should have taken his own life. On May 4 last year, he was tragically found hanged at William Scholes Park on Beech Avenue in Gatley, Stockport.
Senior police coroners’ officer Rita Wilkinson told the court his phone was examined and his partner of 17 years, Sarah Jane Grant, was notified.
Giving evidence, Ms Grant described Mr Pollard, the father to her nine-year-old daughter, as ‘a big softie, who was just lovely and a doting dad’.
She said the day leading up to his death, he was subdued and said he was not hungry.
Mr Pollard had been prescribed clozapine for years to manage his condition, but the drug had side effects, the court heard.
For that reason, regular blood tests had to be taken before it could be licenced for use.
The court heard that in autumn 2019, Mr Pollard was late for a blood test by a margin that meant it would have been unlawful for the prescriptions to continue.
Instead, he was given two different antipsychotics, which resulted in a harrowing period, before he was reinstated on clozapine.
The court heard Mr Pollard was ‘manic’ and wasn’t sleeping. The voices in his head were so bad it was like ‘he had gone back 15 years’.
Ms Grant said he looked very pale, had gone quiet and was permanently trying to battle the voices in his head.
The inquest heard Mr Pollard started to develop delusions around coronavirus and told medical practitioners he had heard voices saying he was Adolf Hitler.
Medical evidence given in court showed he was still able to distinguish what was real and what was not.
Rosalind Dyer, general and mental health nurse for South Mersey Community Mental Health Team, said she met Mr Pollard on January 13.
He said he was concerned about his mental health deteriorating and wanted to get back on the clozapine, she told the court.
Ms Dyer said that after he was given a prescription, she was unaware it was for a low dosage.
She said he was very worried about the coronavirus and about his 74-year-old mum, who had been through a pulmonary coronary bypass.
On April 28, Mr Pollard contacted his crisis team at Wythenshawe Hospital and said he heard voices about coronavirus antibodies and whether he should take his own life.
The court heard he was not considered a risk to himself at this stage.
Mr Pollard was put on a higher dosage of clozamide and a treatment plan was put in place.
He was tragically found dead on May 4.
Coroner Chris Morris said: “This is a tragic case of a very much-loved and respected person who has been described in court as kind and caring.
“He was a devoted family man and a doting father.
“I can’t even begin to imagine how much he is missed by his family and his friends and he has left a very big hole.
“Although it did not define him he had a long history of paranoid schizophrenia, which he managed in an intelligent way.
“I do wonder if Anthony would always tell people about the full effects of the voices he would continue to hear.
“He was very caring and did not want to worry members of the family.
“He was a truly remarkable man and a very special person.
“I leave with a memory of someone I would have liked to have as one of my friends.
“He was a special person, of whom there are far too few in the world.”
Mr Morris recorded a conclusion of suicide.