BRIDGEND HANGINGS BLAMED ON DRUGS AND DRINK

Philip Walters stopped short of recording suicide verdicts for the three men because he said it had to be shown that they definitely intended to kill themselves.

However he called for a national suicide strategy to be drawn up to deal with a tragedy that has seen 17 youngsters die in the Bridgend area of South Wales in the past 15 months.

The three men were among five victims whose inquests were heard in Bridgend yesterday.

Window fitter Allyn Price, 24, was found hanged in his parents’ garage in Maesteg in April last year.

Traces of amphetamine, ecstasy, cocaine and morphine were found in his body after his death.

Allyn’s girlfriend of five years told the court how she had tried to discuss their “relationship problems” just hours before his tragic death.

Alisha Austin, 24, said: “Allyn said he had crashed his friend’s girlfriend’s car and would go to court. He told me ‘I have nothing to live for’. I said I would be there for him. He seemed OK but just an hour later his father found him hanged.”

Recording a narrative verdict, the coroner said Allyn had killed himself when under the influence of drugs which “could well have affected his mood and judgement”.

In the second inquest yesterday, the court heard how Leigh Jenkins, 22, died 58 days after the death of Allyn, who lived seven doors away.

Leigh’s mother Beverley Jenkins, 43, said: “He and Allyn were the best of friends. He was devastated to the point where he just wanted to be with him.” The gas pipeline worker was prescribed medication for depression but was found hanged after an all-night drinking session. Mr Walters recorded a narrative verdict saying that Leigh had “hung himself while under the influence of alcohol and amphetamines”.

The court also heard about the death of Gareth Morgan, 27, who split up from his girlfriend a month before he was found hanged after a drinking session in Bridgend in January.

Gareth sent a text to his ex-girlfriend the night before he died saying: “I wish it never came to this. I’ll see you in the next life. X”

Mr Walters recorded a narrative verdict, saying alcohol “would have affected his judgement”.

Turning to the death of bridegroom-to-be Jason Williams, 21, the coroner said there was “no apparent reason” for his death. His fiancee, Sian Davies, 23, who found him hanged in his garage in North Cornelly, near Bridgend, last August, said he became upset after a lorry purchase fell through.

Recording a verdict of suicide, Mr Walters said: “I cannot find anything that would have led him to take the action he did.”

Andrew O’Neill, 20, died shortly after a gang threatened to shoot him unless he paid back money he owed them. His sister, Charlene O’Neill, 19, said: “He appeared to be very edgy and nervous.”

Andrew hanged himself in North Cornelly in September. The coroner recorded a suicide verdict.