Winchester man killed himself shortly before anniversary of former girlfriend's death (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Winchester man killed himself shortly before anniversary of former girlfriend's death

12:00pm Monday 1st October 2012 in Winchester

A WINCHESTER man killed himself shortly before the first anniversary of his former girlfriend’s death, an inquest heard.

Anthony McIver, 42, of Springvale Road, Kings Worthy, was found hanged in Hyde Gate, Hyde on June 19.

The inquest heard that Mr McIver had a history of alcohol and drug abuse, and had suffered from depression, which increased after his girlfriend died in June 2011 from pancreatitis.

His brother Paul said Mr McIver often talked of killing himself and would claim he was on “borrowed time”.

He said: “He bottled things up inside himself and would not speak to me about it. Her death affected him a lot. “He threatened to take his own life all the time, and tried to do it a number of times. There was nothing I could do about it because he would not let you get too close.”

The inquest also heard he was affected by the deaths of friends and his mother in the past few years.

He was found at around 6am by Rachael Jones-Evans, of Hyde Street, who was out cycling. Simon Burge, Deputy Coroner for Central Hampshire, said: “Given the past history of depression and the clear grief from which Mr McIver suffered, I have no doubt that he intended to take his own life.”

Mr Burge recorded a verdict of suicide.