British ADHD teenager hanged himself with worry over £600 rail fine

A British teenager hanged himself after he became worried about a £600 ($780) rail fine and feared that he would be sent to prison, an inquest heard. Jamie Coulthard, 19, was found dead at his home in Chorley, Lancashire, by his mother in March.

The ADHD sufferer was said to have been disturbed by a fine he received for not paying for a ticket, which was increased when court letters were sent to the wrong address.

His mother, Tracy Woodcock, told Preston Coroners Court he was also upset at being unable to find a fulfilling job, according to the Daily Mail.

She also said he believed, incorrectly, that he would face jail for not paying the fine despite her reassurances that she would help him out.

Woodcock said: "He was funny and outgoing and I had a good relationship with him. I think he was very frustrated that he was unable to find a job that he wanted to do.

"He was also quite upset about the fine that he had. The letters had gone to a different address and by the time we realised it had built up to £600. He thought, he really thought that he was going to have to go to prison and he was upset by it.

"We did go to Preston once but they weren't very helpful and it got adjourned because the prosecution didn't turn up. All the time it was playing on his mind. I told him if it came to it that I would pay it for him and it was fine."

No drugs or alcohol were found in Coulthard's body and no suicide note was left in the property.

Woodcock said: "He was diagnosed with ADHD when he was five and he continued taking medication for it for ten years. He would still have some trouble concentrating after that but he seemed to get a lot better.

"I think maybe he thought that it had something to do with him not being able to find work. He never said anything to me about suicide or self-harm. I don't understand why he did it. It was totally unexpected."

Coulthard's girlfriend, Sarah Gibson told the court the couple had been playing an online computer game the night before and talking over Skype. She said he seemed his "normal, happy self".

She added: "We were a mutual support to each other. He was extremely worried about the rail fine and he didn't know what to do about it.

"When he went to court and was then sent away he didn't understand why he was being sent away and he was upset about it.

"It was something he talked about a lot. The last time I saw him he seemed his usual happy and outgoing self.

"When we played the game and spoke on Skype on the evening before he died he seemed perfectly fine and we planned ComicCon.

"It's a convention and I remember he was disappointed that we couldn't get admission at 9am and had to get the 11am tickets.'

"He had spoken to me about self-harming. He used to self-harm a lot, with teachers at school telling him that he wouldn't amount to anything because of his ADHD.

Gibson continued: "He didn't do it enough for everyone around him to notice, but he did cut his arms and hands. When we first met he gave me his penknife so he wouldn't do it again and he hasn't done it since.

"Jamie did once tell me that he was going to climb over and go onto the railway tracks near his old house, but I talked him out of it.

"It was years ago and he did have his down moments but we both did and I thought that he was getting better.

"I think he is not suffering anymore and that he must have been suffering for him to want to do that in the first place.

"He wasn't the type to do it for attention or anything, he was the type that if he was going to do something then he was going to do it. I think that's why he didn't contact me that day because he knew that I would talk him out of it.'

Recording a conclusion of suicide, Coroner Richard Taylor said: "I am sorry you have had to relive this in an open forum and I am very sorry for your loss.

"I have heard of a bright, amusing and thoughtful young man who was upset that he was unable to find work, and upset about his outstanding fine.

"He clearly dwelled on the fine and mentioned it on many occasions and thought that he was going to be sent to prison despite reassurances.'

He added: "I cannot answer the question of why he did this, and that is the question families always want to know, why it happened."