A MAN who was found on a bench in Ellesmere after taking an overdose had intended to kill himself, a coroner ruled.

Lee Christopher Hasty, 59, of Crosemere near Cockshutt, was found by members of the public on a bench near Brownlow Road on October 5.

Senior coroner John P Ellery told an inquest at Shirehall that Gavin Jones was walking his dog along Brownlow Road when he saw Mr Hasty on a bench, and that two concerned-looking members of the public were with him.

Mr Jones said in a statement ready by the coroner that he saw no medication or anything of concern, other than knife.

A postmortem examination found that the cause of death was morphine toxicity.

Mr Ellery said that Mr Hasty, of Corsemere Crescent, told a doctor at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital that he had taken an overdose but could not tell him what he had taken.

Mr Hasty, a full time carer, was married, the inquest heard, but had left his marital home in August last year but made regular visits and called his wife at around 10pm on October 4 to say he would be coming round the next day to feed the birds.

His wife said in a statement that she told Mr Hasty she was not up to him visiting as she was feeling unwell, to which he replied “See you in the next”.

It was her opinion that he intended to take his life, the inquest heard.

Mark Griffiths, landlord of the Ellesmere Hotel, said Mr Hasty had been at the pub that evening and had insisted that he had a drink with him.

Mr Griffiths declined as he was working, and that he would have one another time, but Mr Hasty said that this would be his “last chance”.

The landlord added how a member of the bar staff told him that Mr Hasty told her he had taken an overdose, the inquest heard.

Mr Ellery recorded a conclusion of suicide, adding: “Looking at the circumstances of this case I am satisfied that the fact of the morphine overdose and the Mr Hasty’s statements both on the evening and after having been admitted to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, that this is suicide and I record that conclusion.”