A man with a long history of severe mental health problems died instantly after leaping from a viaduct an inquest heard yesterday (Wed).
John Mellor, a former textile worker, aged 37, of Belgrave Terrace, Huddersfield, fell onto Meltham Road, Lockwood, on the evening of December 18, 2015.
Huddersfield Coroner’s Court heard that his parents Stephen and Anne had seen him three days before his death.
In a statement read by coroner’s officer Fiona Turner, Mr Mellor said the family first became aware that something was not right with his mind following an incident in his 20s when he “flipped” and assaulted one of his sisters and his mum.
Mr Mellor added: “I knew something was not right.”
The police became involved and John was diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia.
Mr Mellor added that “he always seemed to owe money” despite receiving nearly £1,000 in disability benefits and having his rent paid.
The court heard he had taken cannabis in his schooldays and later developed a serious drug habit that involved taking heroin, cocaine and so-called legal highs.
In addition, at one period in his life he drank to excess and often declined to take the medicine required to counteract his paranoid schizophrenia.
At one point Mr Mellor said he paid his son’s debts totalling £1,800.
The inquest heard his vulnerability led to another man taking over his bedroom for a while, leaving him with only the couch to sleep on.
There were frequent references too to him being “stressed” by owing money to various drug dealers and running up “substantial debts.”
On the night of his death a member of the public, Edward Jones, described in a statement how he discovered Mr Mellor’s body.
He said: “At 10.30pm I was driving out of Lockwood with my wife Emma when she made a loud gasp.
“I slammed on the brakes and told her to stay in the car. He was lying face down.
“I said: ‘Mate, are you OK?’ He didn’t have anything on his feet apart from socks.
“I couldn’t find a pulse. Paramedics described his death as instantaneous.”
A post mortem revealed he had died from multiple injuries.
Assistant Coroner Mary Burke concluded that he had taken his own life.
