'Pleasant' young South Normanton man took his own life after brave battle with mental health problems, inquest hears

Luke Morris, 21, of Alfreton Road, South Normanton, was found hanged in secluded woodland on January 30, 2018, after going missing two days before.

When Mr Morris was two-years-old, his birth mum took her own life by taking an overdose. He then lived with foster parents from the age of three.

Mr Morris did not leave a suicide note, but coroner Peter Nieto said: “I do find it was a deliberate act with a deliberate intention.”

An inquest in Chesterfield today heard that as a child Mr Morris had to be weaned off heroin due to his birth mum’s addiction.

After his mum’s death he went to live with his foster parents, Marie and Paul Morris.

At the end of his school years Mr Morris started using cannabis and later on cocaine, MCAT and alcohol.

In March 2013 Mr Morris went to see his GP because he was depressed. He described thoughts of self-harm but said he had no intention to act on it. Although later on he did carry out self-harm acts and an overdose attempt which put him in hospital.

In November 2016 Mr Morris was diagnosed as having mixed anxiety and depression and unstable personality traits.

On January 16, 2018, in a therapy session, he described hearing voices in his head which ‘de-graded’ him and made him feel like a ‘waste of space’.

A referral was made to the Derbyshire Early Intervention Centre (EIS) on January 19, 2018 - a service for people who experience psychosis for the first time.

The EIS tried to contact Mr Morris on two phone numbers but these were incorrect. A further attempt to contact Mr Morris was not made until 10 days later on January 29 - but by this time Mr Morris had been reported missing.

However, Mr Nieto said that had Mr Morris been seen by the EIS on January 29 there would have been ‘no quick fix’.

Throughout his battle with mental health and addiction Mr Morris was described as ‘pleasant’ and ‘well presented’ and sought help himself.

At the time of his death Mr Morris was unemployed but had previously done an apprenticeship and then worked in a butchers.

Mr Nieto recorded Mr Morris’ death as suicide and gave the medical caught of death as ligature to neck and mental health and substance misuse problem.

Whatever you're going through, call the Samaritans free any time, from any phone on 116 123.