A traumatised ex-serviceman who found some contentment working as a clothing bank collector for the Salvation Army was found passed away in a caravan where he lived alone after not turning up for work. Adam Roberts, 50, who had battled with his mental health and alcohol dependency, had been making efforts to turn his life around an inquest heard.
He had been sober for a long period and had been planning to visit his mum again who lived in Spain, but following a deterioration in his mental health, he ended his life while under the influence of alcohol. He was found by police after they were called to his caravan on farmland in Clyst St Mary on March 27, 2023.
Mr Roberts was said to have had a long history of self-harm and suicidal thoughts. He had been medically discharged from the Army and was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic alcoholism, but was able to hold down a job he appeared to greatly enjoy.
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The inquest at Exeter Coroner's Court today, January 24, heard his friend and supervisor rung police after being concerned for his welfare when he did not show up for work which was said to be out of character. A tracker on his work van showed it had been parked outside his home for the past two days.
The work colleague told in a statement how she had known him since February 2022 and that he had disclosed he had mental health issues and alcohol addiction, but would always make sure he had not drunk for 12 hours before beginning his shifts.
In May 2022, she said she took him to A&E after he self-harmed when he was very drunk and messaged her. She also helped him when he did it again the following month.
She said: "He was very honest and I think if there had been more [attempts] he would have told me. He had stopped drinking apart from a couple of slips. He was very aware his self-harm or suicide attempts happened when he drank."
The last time she saw him on March 23, she recalled he had admitted he was struggling and talked about suicide. He also shared suicidal thoughts with his GP and veterans service mental health support worker who he was both in contact with every week and had been due to begin trauma therapy.
His GP, Elizabeth Crawford at Woodbury Surgery, said: "He was a gentle and kind man who suffered terrible trauma and, as a result, lived in constant emotional pain."
She added: "He is missed by us all."
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WHERE TO GET HELP:
SAMARITANS offers support in a range of ways, including a self-help app, email support or by calling 116 123 for free 24 hours a day
NHS Offers advice on how to access mental health support
TALKWORKS is a free-to-access NHS service offering a variety of treatment and support for adults (aged 18+) living in Devon (excluding Plymouth)
CALM offer a free, confidential helpline 0800 58 58 58 and webchat, 7 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone who needs to talk about life's problems
HUB OF HOPE is a mental health support database that can signpost you to local support services
ANDY'S MAN CLUB offers men a chance to talk with like-minded people. They have clubs in Devon as well as nationally
KOOTH & QWELL provides free, safe and anonymous online mental wellbeing support, including moderated peer support forums and text-based counselling, to all residents living in Devon (aged 11+)
PETE'S DRAGONS provide free-to-access support to all residents living in Devon who may have been bereaved by suicide at any point in their lives
THE MOORINGS is an emotional support service that provides telephone and face-to-face support via a drop-in service at its bases in Exeter, Barnstaple and Torquay. It is a non-clinical service but provides emotional support, signposting to other services and other general support that is tailored to the people who access it.
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His support worker also confirmed his presentation had been worse before his death. She said: "He was desperate to remain abstinent from alcohol as drinking would lead to impulsive acts. He had been in the process of recovery as there were fewer episodes of self-harm."
She concluded: "He had a history of acting impulsively and a history of self-rescue."
In a statement, his mum Deborah Molyneux told how she had last seen him in February when he had gone to Spain to visit her and celebrate his 50th birthday. She recalled he had seemed happy and had made plans to return.
She described how he just wanted to be a 'family man' but was estranged from his ex-wife and their two teenage children. She said he worked long hours and 'loved' his job at the Salvation Army where he had been for more than 10 years, and his hobby was fishing.
Mrs Molyneux said: "He was happy with his own company and had friends too, but sometimes I think he was lonely."
His dad, Colin Roberts, told in a statement how his son had grown up living in Manchester and after school joined the Army but left after three years because he was bullied and traumatised. He went on to do driving jobs before eventually relocating to Devon around seven years ago.
He described his son as a 'troubled soul', and said: "His death was a huge shock to us all."
The cause of death was polydrug toxicity. The post-mortem stated he had consumed sufficient alcohol before death to cause drunkenness and had taken 'large amounts' of two medications prescribed to him which, together with the alcohol, would 'likely' have been fatal.
Recording a conclusion of suicide, Alison Longhorn, area coroner for Exeter and greater Devon, said: "Adam consumed sufficient alcohol to cause drunkenness and large amounts of prescription medication, and had a long history of dependency and spoke of suicide to friends and medical professional in the months before his death."
She said: "He was struggling for a very long time and it is a real credit to him he had stopped drinking for such a long time."
