The inquest of Luke Bitmead, who jumped to his death from a multi-storey car park in Swindon, has been adjourned until October to allow the coroner to consider his verdict.
Luke, who was 34 at the time of his death, died on 27 October 2006 hours after jumping from the Farnsby Street car park.
The five day inquest heard that Luke, who was born in Swindon, had been admitted to Great Western Hospital the day before his death after attempting to commit suicide. His mother, Elaine Hanson, stayed by his bedside until the early hours of the morning on 27 October when she was advised to go home to try to get a few hours sleep. Shortly after she left, Luke discharged himself from the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit and took a taxi to the car park where he jumped to his death.
Elaine has campaigned tirelessly since then for greater awareness of mental health issues, arguing that the law in the UK should be changed to ensure vulnerable people at risk of self-harm cannot discharge themselves from hospital.
She said: “I’m attempting to channel my grief in a dignified and meaningful way. First of course I am a grieving mother and I want to use my grief in a way that is beneficial to society, with the intention of preventing similar tragedies happening in the future.”
Joachim Stanley, of Withy King's Clinical Negligence department, represented the family at the inquest. He said: “It is not the expected outcome and the family are currently considering their options.”
Luke was a talented novelist and script-writer. His first book, White Summer, was published in 2006.
His family, with the support of Luke’s publisher Legend Press, have set up a memorial fund, using royalties from the sale of his books to help new authors to get published. The second bursary winner is fledgling writer Ruth Dugdall whose novel ‘The Woman Before Me’ is due to be launched on Thursday, 19 August. Further information about the Luke Bitmead Memorial Fund can be found at www.lukebitmead.com
The inquest was held at Trowbridge Coroner’s Court, and was conducted by Mr D Ridley, HM Coroner for Wiltshire & Swindon from 26 July 2010 – 30 July 2010.
