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| Coroner's suicide strategy calls | Coroner's suicide strategy calls |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Bridgend coroner has called for a national strategy to prevent young suicides as he held inquests into five people from the area. | The Bridgend coroner has called for a national strategy to prevent young suicides as he held inquests into five people from the area. |
| He made his remarks as he heard the inquest into the death of Allyn Price, 24, who was found hanged at his parents' garage in Maesteg. | He made his remarks as he heard the inquest into the death of Allyn Price, 24, who was found hanged at his parents' garage in Maesteg. |
| Hearings into four other deaths of young people were also being heard. | Hearings into four other deaths of young people were also being heard. |
| Seventeen young people from Bridgend county are believed to have taken their lives since January 2006. | Seventeen young people from Bridgend county are believed to have taken their lives since January 2006. |
| Speaking at the start of the inquests, coroner Philip Walters said: "I hope that these events in Bridgend will be a catalyst to give us a national suicide prevention strategy covering the whole of Wales for young deaths." | Speaking at the start of the inquests, coroner Philip Walters said: "I hope that these events in Bridgend will be a catalyst to give us a national suicide prevention strategy covering the whole of Wales for young deaths." |
| The first inquest heard that traces of amphetamine, ecstasy, cocaine, diazepam and morphine had been found in Mr Price's body after his death in April last year. | The first inquest heard that traces of amphetamine, ecstasy, cocaine, diazepam and morphine had been found in Mr Price's body after his death in April last year. |
| In the six months before his death, Mr Price had changed after going on holiday to Mexico and became "short-tempered" at times, the inquest was told. | In the six months before his death, Mr Price had changed after going on holiday to Mexico and became "short-tempered" at times, the inquest was told. |
| On the night of Mr Price's death, his girlfriend Alisha Austin had spoken to him and told him she wanted to discuss their "relationship problems", the inquest was told. | On the night of Mr Price's death, his girlfriend Alisha Austin had spoken to him and told him she wanted to discuss their "relationship problems", the inquest was told. |
| They had been together for five years and it had previously been "fabulous", she said. | They had been together for five years and it had previously been "fabulous", she said. |
| She told the inquest: "He asked me if I would always be there for him. I said I would." | She told the inquest: "He asked me if I would always be there for him. I said I would." |
| She added: "He told me: 'I have nothing to live for'. I said I would be there for him." | She added: "He told me: 'I have nothing to live for'. I said I would be there for him." |
| Coroner Philip Walters has not linked the deaths of the 17 people | |
| Coroner Philip Walters recorded a narrative that Mr Price killed himself when under the influence of drugs which "could well have affected his mood and judgement." | Coroner Philip Walters recorded a narrative that Mr Price killed himself when under the influence of drugs which "could well have affected his mood and judgement." |
| The second inquest related to the death of Leigh Jenkins, 22, from Maesteg, who was found hanged at a friend's flat in June 2007. | The second inquest related to the death of Leigh Jenkins, 22, from Maesteg, who was found hanged at a friend's flat in June 2007. |
| Mr Jenkins had lived four doors from Allyn Price and had been extremely upset following his death four weeks earlier, the inquest heard. | Mr Jenkins had lived four doors from Allyn Price and had been extremely upset following his death four weeks earlier, the inquest heard. |
| He had been three times over the drink-drive limit and had amphetamines in his system when he died. | He had been three times over the drink-drive limit and had amphetamines in his system when he died. |
| Recording a narrative verdict, Mr Walters said: "Leigh Jenkins hung himself while under the influence of alcohol, MDMA and MDA and the cause of death is, as given, asphyxia due to a ligature around the neck." | Recording a narrative verdict, Mr Walters said: "Leigh Jenkins hung himself while under the influence of alcohol, MDMA and MDA and the cause of death is, as given, asphyxia due to a ligature around the neck." |
| 'No apparent reason' | |
| Meanwhile, at the inquest into the death of Jason Williams, the coroner said there was no apparent reason why the 21-year-old had hanged himself in his garage in North Cornelly, near Bridgend. | |
| Lorry driver Mr Williams had been found by his fiancée Sian Davies in August last year. She described him as a "very, very shy person" and an "introvert". | |
| A post-mortem examination found traces of medication for back pain but nothing else which could have affected his judgement, the inquest was told. | |
| Mr Walters recorded a verdict of suicide and said: "Unfortunately this is one of those cases which I come across on a fairly regular basis where we can find, despite investigations by the police, no apparent reason why this event has occurred." | |
| Threats | |
| The inquest into the death of Andrew O'Neil, 20, heard that he had been threatened over money before his death in September 2007. | |
| His sister, Charlene O'Neil, told the court two boys had come looking for her brother and one had threatened to shoot him. | |
| She said Mr O'Neil, who was found hanged at an empty house in Nantymoel, had been acting "edgy and nervous" in the three months before his death. | |
| A verdict of suicide was recorded by Mr Walters who commented that Mr O'Neil's family were "obviously close knit." | |
| The coroner has said he does not believe there are any links between the deaths in the Bridgend borough. | |
| The inquest into the death of Gareth Morgan was also due to be held. |