Suicide verdict after death of accountant

Thu, 24 Oct 2013

David McLeman

A father of three who killed himself by setting his car on fire was suffering from depression.

Coroner John Needham recorded a verdict of suicide at the inquest of David McLeman yesterday.

The court heard how the 58-year-old accountant bought petrol from a garage in Ramsey on the 9th of April this year before driving to the Point of Ayre and starting a blaze.

His cause of death was given as inhalation, burns and the effect of heat – his body was so badly burnt the pathologist said he would have died at a very early stage.

John Needham said a 'tragic set of circumstances’ led to Mr McLeman's death as he was suffering from personal and financial problems.

The Coroner told his family that the level of depression he was evidently suffering from prevented him from thinking about the consequences of his actions.