A Winslade man who deliberately suffocated himself with a plastic bag had a “grim determination” to commit suicide, an inquest has ruled.

Andrew Sutherland was found dead at his motorbike workshop in Bagmore Lane in Herriard on January 23 after freely telling psychiatrists of his intention to kill himself.

Basingstoke Law Courts today heard how the 48-year-old, who was unemployed, had suffered from suicidal thoughts since the age of 13, but had denied that he was depressed and viewed them as “a positive step”.

Mr Sutherland, of St Mary’s Church in Alton Road, was referred to the Basingstoke community mental health team at the Bridge Centre in New Road on November 5 and received support until the turn of the year.

However, he then tried to kill himself on November 19 after taking an overdose, but was taken to hospital after changing his mind and calling a friend – a decision he told the health team that he regretted.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Janet Chiu told the inquest: “Mr Sutherland found it hard to accept that he had depression and spent a lot of his time on the internet researching his condition for himself.

“He told us he was excited at the prospect of dying and expressed regret that his overdose hadn’t worked.

“He said that he simply didn’t want to be a part of the world because of all of the horrible things that were going on.”

Mr Sutherland’s body was discovered by his former partner of 13 years Wendy Cavill after his new girlfriend called her expressing concern that he had gone missing.

And Miss Cavill told the court that she felt Mr Sutherland had been “let down” by the mental health team and hospital staff.

She said: “If he’d been admitted to A & E with a heart attack or a stroke, the thought that he would’ve been let go after three days would’ve been inconceivable.

“He called himself an optimistic suicide in that when he felt stronger, not at rock bottom, he felt that he could do it – the thoughts were a positive step for him.

“I just think he was let down because what he wanted was someone who could make his thoughts go away.

“He wanted to commit suicide but at the same time he didn’t.”

North East Hampshire Coroner Andrew Bradley rejected the claim that more could’ve been done however; instead insisting that Mr Sutherland’s condition was “untouchable”.

He added: “When I took the report originally, I was truly saddened, because I thought ‘what else could’ve been done for this man?’

“He had a grim determination to do this and to him he was doing it from a position of glory.

“It’s completely beyond reason and there’s nothing more frightening than someone who does something like this from a position of strength.”