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| Student's suicide over overdraft | Student's suicide over overdraft |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The parents of a student who hanged himself days after his overdraft was withdrawn, has criticised his bank following an inquest into his death. | The parents of a student who hanged himself days after his overdraft was withdrawn, has criticised his bank following an inquest into his death. |
| Swansea Institute computer student Geraint Banks-Wilkinson, 20, from Nantymoel, was found with a cord around his neck at his digs on 13 January. | Swansea Institute computer student Geraint Banks-Wilkinson, 20, from Nantymoel, was found with a cord around his neck at his digs on 13 January. |
| Two days earlier, he broke down in tears at his parents' home after visiting the Bridgend branch of HSBC. | |
| Coroner Philip Rogers recorded a suicide verdict at the Swansea inquest. | Coroner Philip Rogers recorded a suicide verdict at the Swansea inquest. |
| Speaking after the hearing at the city's County Hall, Mr Banks-Wilkinson's father, Geoff, a prison officer, said of the bank: "The way they treated him was appalling." | Speaking after the hearing at the city's County Hall, Mr Banks-Wilkinson's father, Geoff, a prison officer, said of the bank: "The way they treated him was appalling." |
| "They were hounding us when they could not get hold of him. | "They were hounding us when they could not get hold of him. |
| "He was not afraid of a bit of work and was doing his studies as well, but could not do everything." | "He was not afraid of a bit of work and was doing his studies as well, but could not do everything." |
| Mr Banks-Wilkinson's mother, Marion, also criticised the bank. | Mr Banks-Wilkinson's mother, Marion, also criticised the bank. |
| Mr Banks-Wilkinson's parents criticised HSBC | Mr Banks-Wilkinson's parents criticised HSBC |
| She said: It was not being able to get hold of the right people. | She said: It was not being able to get hold of the right people. |
| "There was one department phoning our house and when he went to the branch it was a completely different thing. | "There was one department phoning our house and when he went to the branch it was a completely different thing. |
| "You can't get hold of anyone to take ownership and I think that's one of the things that was so frustrating for him. | "You can't get hold of anyone to take ownership and I think that's one of the things that was so frustrating for him. |
| "He couldn't get anyone who could tell him they could actually make a decision." | "He couldn't get anyone who could tell him they could actually make a decision." |
| A statement from HSBC read: "HSBC again offers its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Geraint Banks-Wilkinson. HSBC has not as yet had an opportunity to review the coroner's findings and as such cannot comment on them specifically. | A statement from HSBC read: "HSBC again offers its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Geraint Banks-Wilkinson. HSBC has not as yet had an opportunity to review the coroner's findings and as such cannot comment on them specifically. |
| "Further, privacy legislation prohibits a bank from discussing the details of its customers' accounts, and we certainly would not want to intrude upon the family's grief." | "Further, privacy legislation prohibits a bank from discussing the details of its customers' accounts, and we certainly would not want to intrude upon the family's grief." |
| Earlier, the inquest had heard that Mr Banks-Wilkinson had a job at the Fabian Way branch of McDonald's but had problems with money. | Earlier, the inquest had heard that Mr Banks-Wilkinson had a job at the Fabian Way branch of McDonald's but had problems with money. |
| Throughout December 2005, HSBC had tried to contact him almost every day and telephoned his parents at their home. the court heard. | Throughout December 2005, HSBC had tried to contact him almost every day and telephoned his parents at their home. the court heard. |
| Over the Christmas period, a student loan was paid into his HSBC account, paying off most of his £1,200 overdraft. | Over the Christmas period, a student loan was paid into his HSBC account, paying off most of his £1,200 overdraft. |
| The computer design student then discovered the bank was closing his overdraft and on 11 January he was driven by his mother, who worked for a different bank, to his home branch in Bridgend. | The computer design student then discovered the bank was closing his overdraft and on 11 January he was driven by his mother, who worked for a different bank, to his home branch in Bridgend. |
| "When he came back, basically he sat in the car, put his head in his hands and sobbed," Mrs Banks-Wilkinson told the coroner. | "When he came back, basically he sat in the car, put his head in his hands and sobbed," Mrs Banks-Wilkinson told the coroner. |
| "He said 'They can't help me'." | "He said 'They can't help me'." |
| 'Struggle' | 'Struggle' |
| Mrs Banks-Wilkinson said that she was able to calm her son down over a cup of tea and cheered him up by discussing options available. | Mrs Banks-Wilkinson said that she was able to calm her son down over a cup of tea and cheered him up by discussing options available. |
| "It was a real shock to him that the overdraft had been withdrawn," she said. | "It was a real shock to him that the overdraft had been withdrawn," she said. |
| "We all knew it was a struggle surviving as a student - we could not help him as much as we would have liked because we earned too much to get statutory grants but not enough to give him much." | "We all knew it was a struggle surviving as a student - we could not help him as much as we would have liked because we earned too much to get statutory grants but not enough to give him much." |
| She said that later that day she drove him back to his student digs at Watkin Street in Swansea. | She said that later that day she drove him back to his student digs at Watkin Street in Swansea. |
| "I would not have taken him back to Swansea if I was not convinced that he was going to be OK," she said. | "I would not have taken him back to Swansea if I was not convinced that he was going to be OK," she said. |
| Self-harm | Self-harm |
| The following day, Mr Banks-Wilkinson went to work as normal and that night went out to socialise with colleagues from McDonald's. | The following day, Mr Banks-Wilkinson went to work as normal and that night went out to socialise with colleagues from McDonald's. |
| On 13 January a flatmate discovered Mr Banks-Wilkinson hanging from a beam in their bathroom. | On 13 January a flatmate discovered Mr Banks-Wilkinson hanging from a beam in their bathroom. |
| A post mortem examination found the cause of death was hanging. | A post mortem examination found the cause of death was hanging. |
| The inquest heard that Mr Banks-Wilkinson had a history of depression and around the time of his GCSEs he had self-harmed. | The inquest heard that Mr Banks-Wilkinson had a history of depression and around the time of his GCSEs he had self-harmed. |
| He had been prescribed anti-depressants in the past but it was unclear if was still on medication at the time of his death. | He had been prescribed anti-depressants in the past but it was unclear if was still on medication at the time of his death. |
| Recording a verdict of suicide, Coroner Philip Rogers said: "This is clearly a very sad case - the death of a young man with a promising future." |