Tributes to Paul Hicks: inquest hears of Hull dad's death after heartbreaking loss of son
A BEREAVED father gripped by depression killed himself in the garage where he worked.
Hull Coroner's Court heard Paul Hicks, 37, was found in a colleague's car at HGL Motors in Southcoates Lane, east Hull, on March 23.
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SUFFERED: Paul Hicks had depression after the death of his son Joshua.
He died after breathing in the vehicle's exhaust fumes.
Paul, whose son Joshua died in 2006 following mistakes by medical staff, ended his life after taking his prescribed anti-depressants and drinking white wine.
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He was found by two colleagues, including garage owner Harold Lison, surrounded by suicide notes to friends and family. A diary included details of a previous failed suicide attempt.
Paul's parents Jim and Sue Hicks, of Hull city centre, attended yesterday's inquest alongside Paul's wife Kirsty, 33.
Paul and Kirsty, who had three daughters, separated six weeks before his death.
Sue, 56, said: "Our lives will never be the same.
"But we have to go forward, especially for the girls.
"I see Paul in them and they give me comfort.
"I can't believe he has gone and there are times when I think it's a dream.
"I can't believe we are never going to see him again."
Paul was prescribed anti-depressants in 2006 following Joshua's death at Hull And East Yorkshire Women And Children's Hospital, aged 17 hours.
Paul moved out of the family home in west Hull in February to live in a caravan in his parents' garden.
His depression became worse following the break-up of his marriage and his prescription for anti-depressants was increased by his GP.
The inquest heard Paul told his GP he had "fleeting thoughts" of self harm in February but his "safety net" was his children and he would not harm himself.
Paul was due to pick his daughters, Sapphire, 4, Poppy, 3, and Holly, 1, up the night he died and had a conversation with Harold about locking the garage and setting the alarm.
He failed to arrive and Jim and Sue searched for him, the inquest heard.
But Harold and another colleague found Paul in the car inside the garage the next morning and immediately called the emergency services.
Consultant histopathologist Dr Justin Cooke, who carried out the post mortem, said he believed the cause of death was "fatal inhalation" of carbon monoxide.
Paul had previously tried to take his own life on March 11, when Jim and Sue found him writing suicide notes beside a tree with a rope hanging from it in Brantingham.
Coroner Rosemary Baxter said she was "satisfied beyond reasonable doubt" Paul intended to take his own life.
Comments
by brokenhead
Wednesday, July 04 2012, 9:10PM
“@embittered I fully agree HDM can you please remove this from the comment section please with due respect to His family and Children?”
by embittered
Wednesday, July 04 2012, 5:52PM
“Although I am reluctantly the first to comment on this story, it is only to state that It is in very bad taste that the HDM have opened it up to comments in the first place.
The story of this poor man and his tragic surroundings and circumstances is a sensitive and private matter for his immediate family and friends. The story is in itself is sobering and no need for a continuation of comments by the less sensitive among us out of respect for his children in my opinion.”