Bank raid hero found hanged in car park
A HAVE- A- GO hero who was shot and stabbed in a bank robbery four years ago hanged himself, an inquest has heard.
The body of Tom Jones, 54, was found in a car park on February 20.
His estranged wife Abbey, who split from him on New Year’s Day, told the Winchester hearing he had started to drink more following the 2016 raid.
Window cleaner Tom, a father of four from Woking, Surrey, had a gun pellet lodged in his brain from the attack.
Separately, three of his brothers had died in quick succession.
Abbey said: “We think he had PTSD, he got shot. Tom was on a downward spiral and he was bringing me down with it.
“He lost three of his brothers. He was close to them and this affected
him deeply.” She added: “I still loved him.”
Coroner Rosamund Rhodes- Kemp recorded a verdict of suicide.
She said: “When people have a significant traumatic event, other things that happen to them like losing their brothers, splitting up, it all seems worse.”
After the robbery on a Lloyds Bank in Liphook, Hants, in May 2016, Tom and Abbey were praised by police for their bravery.
Tom tackled one robber after a gun was held to his wife’s head.
He said: “I had him on the floor and nearly got the gun off him but his friend stabbed me and he shot me in the face.
“I dragged him out of the bank then he came back in and shot me again through my hair- line.
“It was adrenaline, complete instinct. I thought my life was going to end.”
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