Man struggling with mental health killed himself in Snowdonia fireball

A BIRMINGHAM man found dead in a burnt-out car in Snowdonia took his own life, an inquest ruled.

Mark Billington died in his car on the A498 near Nant Gwynant on November 2, 2021.

An inquest into his death heard how the graphic designer had driven over 100 miles from his home to the area near Beddgelert and pulled into a layby before the car caught fire.

The 50-year-old was found inside the Fiat 500 after a nearby resident reported seeing the car engulfed in flames.

Dylan Clarke described hearing a “loud bang that shook the valley” and immediately ran to his car and drove to where the smoke was coming from.

There he discovered the vehicle in a “big ball of flames”, with fire rising three feet above the roof”.

Mr Clarke rushed to a neighbouring property to call 999 as he had no mobile phone signal in that area.

The inquest heard that Mr Billington had been struggling with his mental health and had issues in his personal life in the lead-up to his death.

CCTV footage from a Sainsbury’s store in Kidderminster showed that Mr Billington had purchased and filled two gas cannisters on the day of his death.

Following an investigation, Kevin Jones, an expert fire scene investigator, determined that the most likely cause of the fire was “deliberate ignition within the passenger compartment by the driver”.

Mr Billington was described by his sister, Karen, as “a caring man” who “did not express his deepest emotions”.

In a statement read out during the hearing, Ms Billington also said that he had made references to where he would like his ashes to be scattered and what music he would like at his funeral.

In her evidence statement, his former fiancée, Elizabeta Lemport said she had been concerned about Mr Billington for some time and said that he had made “verbal threats” about harming himself on numerous occasions.

She said: “He was working from home and struggling because he was an outdoor person. He was stressed with work.

“I would hear him shouting and banging his desk.

“I heard him say he was going to jump off a balcony a number of times.

“There were indications that he was depressed.

“He didn’t want to celebrate his birthday.

“He was in debt which impacted on his mental wellbeing.

“I’m not sure if he ever hurt himself but he did make verbal threats.

“I found out after his death that he had been having an affair.”

A post-mortem showed that Mr Billington died as a result of “inhalation of hot explosive gases”.

Concluding that he had intended to take his own life, acting senior coroner Katie Sutherland ruled his death as a suicide.