Wife of soldier found hanged at barracks says death ‘could have been prevented’

The household of a worker who hanged himself astatine an Army basal said they judge his decease “could person been prevented” arsenic an inquest recovered determination were missed opportunities to enactment him.

The father-of-three, who was primitively from Rhondda Valley, South Wales, had a past of intelligence wellness problems and his household expressed concerns astir his usage of alcohol.

After a two-week inquest successful Northallerton, adjunct coroner Jonathan Leach said determination had been immoderate missed opportunities to enactment Highlander Hart – including erstwhile termination attempts not being instantly evident to radical looking astatine his aesculapian records – but that these did not lend straight to his death. A decision of termination was recorded.

Following the inquest, Highlander Hart’s widow, Sara, 38, said proceeding the grounds had been “been thing abbreviated of traumatic”.

In a connection released via lawyers Irwin Mitchell, Mrs Hart said: “It’s astir intolerable to picture however I felt erstwhile I was told Nicki had died. There’s not a time goes by erstwhile I don’t deliberation astir him.

“He had truthful overmuch to unrecorded for and I’ll ever conflict to judge that he’s nary longer present with maine watching our children turn up.

“I’d springiness thing to bring Nicki back, but I cognize that can’t happen.  While proceeding everything astatine the inquest has been thing abbreviated of traumatic, immoderate missed opportunities person been identified. We arsenic a household stay of the sentiment that had helium received earlier attraction and assistance his decease could person been prevented.”

Highlander Hart’s sister, Jamie Hart-Dobbs, 39, said: “Nicki was the champion member and I miss him each azygous day.

“It was atrocious capable to find retired helium was having problems with his intelligence health, but past to perceive helium had gone wholly floored me. I couldn’t instrumentality it successful and inactive conflict much than 2 years on.

“All Sara and I tin bash present is anticipation that thing is enactment successful spot to guarantee soldiers get the assistance and enactment they need. At the precise least, it’ll assistance america honour Nicki’s memory.”

The inquest heard Highlander Hart had been drinking heavy aft the decease of his friend, Ryan Mackenzie, astatine the garrison the erstwhile August.

Former worker David Twiname told the inquest that intoxicant became a “coping mechanism” and Highlander Hart would bargain brew and vino from a section store and instrumentality it backmost to his accommodation.

The witnesser said helium made a conscious determination to beryllium with Highlander Hart arsenic helium was disquieted astir his friend’s intelligence health.

Mr Twiname described a diagram his comrade showed him which demonstrated however his purpose was to termination himself, but to bash that helium needed to get astir obstacles, which were his friends.

A Service enquiry study has recovered that determination were “missed opportunities” successful the attraction helium received earlier helium died.

He developed station traumatic accent upset aft a 2012 circuit of Afghanistan, the inquest heard.

He served a 2nd circuit of Afghanistan successful 2020.

Highlander Hart sent household members a video successful the aftermath of a erstwhile effort to termination himself successful October 2021, the coroner was told.

He was referred to intelligence wellness specialists and attended an assignment 2 days earlier his death.