Judge took his own life after onset of dementia

A FORMER leading family judge killed himself after he lost the will to live following a dementia diagnosis, an inquest heard yesterday.

Sir Nicholas Wall said he had no hope for the future and believed his illness would mean he would lose his memory and have to remain in a care home.

He had been England and Wales’ most senior family judge, appointed President of the Family Division of the High Court in 2010, but retired due to health problems in 2012. He had suffered for years from the effects of his rare form of dementia, although it was only diagnosed shortly before his death in February, aged 71.

Sir Nicholas, a grandfather, was found hanged in his room at the Emily Jackson House care home in Sevenoaks, Kent.

He suffered from frontotemporal lobe dementia, also known as Pick’s disease, which affects parts of the brain that control behaviour, emotions and the understanding of words. The Maidstone inquest heard he had lost hope of ever getting better and had pushed his loved ones away in the belief his death was imminent.

Acting Detective Sergeant Robert Grieve told the hearing Sir Nicholas had left a letter for his wife of 40 years, Margaret, in which he said he believed he would never be able to return to live at home. He said: ‘Sir Nicholas said he had lost the will to live and that Lady Wall had a life to live.’

The inquest heard a nurse was the last person to see him when she visited his room the night before his body was discovered. She told police Sir Nicholas had joked about her being late and had smiled.

Coroner Roger Hatch recorded a suicide verdict.

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