Gulf war veteran John Pagan thought about ending his life after having to live in his car

A GULF War veteran slept rough in his car for months after he was evicted.

Ex-Royal Scot John Pagan used his army sleeping bag to keep him warm.

Edinburgh Council told him it could be three months before he would be offered any permanent residence – so a car park became his home.

After joining the Royal Scots regiment as a teenager, the 51-year-old struggled to get his life on track when he left the army in 1994.

After falling victim to a scam, he was left with huge legal bills and later suffered nerve damage to both arms in a car crash. His injuries left him unable to continue working as a taxi driver.

His marriage broke down and he couldn’t pay the rent.

It was then that John, who served his country in Northern Ireland and the Gulf War, found himself homeless.

“When I got evicted I decided I would just live in my car,” he said. “It felt like nobody cared but because of my army experience, it was quite easy to adapt.”

He said that being a soldier had made him independent, and he didn’t want to live in a hostel.

But charities fear scores of veterans like John are falling off the radar and sleeping rough.

He said: “If it wasn’t for my army experience, I don’t think I would have been able to cope. I don’t know where I would be now.

“You feel like giving up. Thank God last year’s was a mild winter.”

He admits he was close to ending his life.

“I was at my end,” he said. “I was as low as you could possibly be, but one day, I just snapped out of it. I don’t know what had got me through but I couldn’t do it anymore.

“That said, I am not totally through it. I still have more down days than up days.

“If I keep going one day at a time then, hopefully, one day I will get there and I will be completely back on my feet.”

When John returned to Edinburgh Council a second time, in July, he got help straight away and since September has stayed at Whitefoord House – flats reserved especially for veterans via the Scottish Veterans’ Residence.

“It was a relief. Being here among other ex-squaddies, it is much easier.

“I feel like I am back in my army days. It’s the same mentality. It’s like being part of a family. We are like a band of brothers.”

He added: “I didn’t want help to start with. I was too independent. I have had to learn to talk to people. I was never one for opening up about my story.

“You have to seek help. If I didn’t go back for help, I would still be in my car now.

“I might even be dead.”