Wirral dad killed himself, inquest is told (From Wirral Globe)

Wirral dad killed himself, inquest is told

3:24pm Thursday 30th August 2012 in News By Stephanie Cureton

A WIRRAL dad took his own life after spending years battling depression, an inquest heard.

Stephen Pucill, from Wallasey, was found hanging at his home on May 23 by his stepson.

The hearing, which was held this afternoon at Wallasey Town Hall, was told how the 55-year-old had seemed in “good spirits” earlier in the day.

However coroner’s officer Jane Wear said he had suffered from depression for around 12 years and had been in “low moods” since he was made redundant from his job as a forklift truck driver two years ago.

Ms Wear said: “At around 6.40am, the deceased’s wife was leaving for work and when she spoke to him and said ‘see you tonight,’ he seemed in good spirits.

“When the deceased called at his daughter and stepson’s house at 1.30pm, they asked what he was doing for the rest of the day and he replied that he was clearing out the loft. He seemed happy and chatty.”

However when his stepson visited Mr Pucill’s son later that day with his mother, he found him hanging.

Paramedics arrived at the scene and he was pronounced dead at around 9.20pm.

A post-mortem examination revealed 181 mg of alcohol per 100ml of Mr Pucill’s blood while there was 217mg per 100 ml of urine.

However it was concluded that despite the high levels of alcohol, it was not “toxic or fatal.”

Recording a verdict that Mr Pucill killed himself, Wirral coroner Christopher Johnson said: “The manner and circumstances of the death leave me in no doubt that he intended to and did take his own life.”