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The Sentinel
Posted: January 16, 2013
By sentinel reporter
A FORMER Bentley worker took his own life after being sacked from the job he loved. David Manley was found dead at his home in Newcastle on August 28 last year. An inquest into his death heard the 38-year-old forklift truck driver had first become down after his sister died unexpectedly in 2011.
This was followed by the death of a friend, and in May last year he was suspended from his job at Bentley in Crewe. The inquest at Hartshill heard it had been alleged he was planning to make a false claim about an accident at work.
After a period of suspension he was dismissed in July. He was diagnosed with depression and prescribed medication.
In a statement, his brother Robert said: “The last time I saw him was two weeks before he died. We arranged to go walking on August 27.
“We spoke again on that day because the weather was too poor to go. “He seemed upbeat. I didn’t go to see him because he was in good spirits. “He said he was having a hearing on the Thursday about his job.”
But the following morning, Mr Manley posted a note through the door of Linda Gleaves, who lived next-door to him in Gainsborough Road. It said he was going to kill himself and left instructions for his dog and his belongings, plus his brother’s telephone number.
In a statement Mrs Gleaves said: “I knew he had been suspended from work and was on tablets for depression. He was then told he had lost his job. “He used to love his work and would always do overtime.”
On finding the note, Mrs Gleaves called the police and Mr Manley’s brother. PC Jonathan Stant went to the house and found Mr Manley’s body in his bed. He had suffocated himself.
PC Stant said: “I performed CPR but there was no response. “All the doors and windows were locked and there were no signs of a disturbance. “We are satisfied there was no third party involvement.”
Medics pronounced him dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination found Mr Manley died from asphyxiation. No alcohol or drugs were found in his system. Anthony Curzon, deputy coroner for Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire, recorded a verdict of suicide.