Gary Speed inquest

[Rosco]

Former Wales football manager Gary Speed may have killed himself accidentally, a coroner ruled on Monday.

In a narrative verdict, Cheshire coroner Nicholas Rheinberg gave the cause of death as hanging but said "the evidence does not sufficiently determine whether this was intentional or accidental".

The inquest at Warrington Coroner's Court heard that Speed texted his wife days before his death and "talked in terms of taking his life".

The couple also "had words" on the night before he was found dead after they had been to a dinner party at a friend's house.

Speed, who played for Leeds, Everton, Newcastle, Bolton and Sheffield United, was found hanged at his Cheshire home on November 27 last year by his wife Louise.

But Mr Rheinberg said, in a narrative verdict, that the football manager may have "nodded off" while sitting with cable around his neck on the stairs in his garage.

Mrs Speed told the inquest her husband had talked in terms of taking his life in the text exchange days earlier but that he "dismissed it", saying that he was "excited" about the future with his wife and two sons.

Mrs Speed said the text referred to their "ups and downs" but went on about "how important the boys were" and about "moving forward".

"We walked in the house and we had an exchange of words about something and nothing," Mrs Speed said.

She said she suggested she go for a drive but her husband blocked the door and told her she "wasn't going anywhere".

"I went upstairs and lay on the bed for probably about five or 10 minutes," she said.

"Then I decided to go for a drive, to clear my mind (and for) space to think."

Questioned further by Mr Rheinberg, she said she only drove to the "top of the road" before she stopped to ring her husband's mobile phone.

After getting no reply, she returned to the house and tried, unsuccessfully, to ring him again.

"I decided to keep the car running and stay there until I could get into the house," she explained.

After getting some sleep in the vehicle she told the hearing she woke up at about 6am and went to the outside bathroom.

She said she noticed some shed keys missing which were usually stored there and went to the shed to see if Gary was there, before moving to the garage.

Blinking away tears she said: "I went to the window and there I saw him."

She nodded as Mr Rheinberg asked: "Could you see Gary on the stairs?"

He continued: "Was it apparent that Gary was hanging?"

"Yes," Mrs Speed told him.

She said she then woke the children to open up the house and called the emergency services.

On their advice, she cut her husband to the ground as paramedics were sent to the scene.

The sportsman was hanging from a bannister with a piece of television aerial, the court has heard.

Mrs Speed confirmed there was no note or message left by her husband before his death.

In a statement read out after the inquest, Mr Speed's family said the day of his death was the "worst day of our lives" but his memory "shines brightly in our thoughts".

 

[Judge Jules]

Puts other things into perspective. God rest him.

 

[Rouge Penguin]

Hang on, she waited outside the house all night? Didn't she want to try her key?

Sounds like he threatened it, she didn't stay, so he did it.

Still sad though

 

[Squiggles]

Every detail in that report is weird.

You don't accidently hang yourself.

 

[nealmac]

Gary Speed inquest

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=48498.msg1#msg1 date=1327979588]
Every detail in that report is weird.

You don't accidently hang yourself.
[/quote]
This.

I mean I'm sure it could happen, but not from the fucking rafters of a shed. Surely they should have put it down to suicide and let the poor family grieve in peace? Not try to give them false hope or make it harder (depending on how you look at it).

If they were definite about it being accidental then fair enough. But to say "possibly" just puts them in an even shittier position. I don't know about everyone else but to me an inquest is supposed to be all about finding closure and finality. Not opening a pandoras box for the bereaved.

 

[cobrastatus]

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=48498.msg1473937#msg1473937 date=1327979588]
Every detail in that report is weird.

You don't accidently hang yourself.
[/quote]

David Carradine...

 

[My_Blood_Bleeds_Red]

Should we rule out foul play ?

 

[Dave]

Why is this stuff played out in the public?

I know he was famous and all but really why don't the family of the deceased keep it to themselves? Or is that not possible because he was famous?

I know if I had a relative who took his or her life I wouldn’t be too chuffed about the whole world reading the finer details.

 

[Rosco]

All inquests are public Dave.

Anybody can pay and receive the full file from any inquest that ever happened.

 

[Dave]

Oh I see, Ross & Co.

I guess its just people don't pay and therefore we don't hear about your Joe Public unfortunate demise.

I don't really want to know the finer details of Gary Speeds last hours or anyone elses for that matter.

I have heard that often these cases are graded for want of a better phrase as accidental for insurance reasons. Is that true?

 

[Dave]

EDIT: Double post.

 

[My_Blood_Bleeds_Red]

yeah but what if it was murder....surely it has to be exposed.

 

[Dave]

[quote author=My_Blood_Bleeds_Red link=topic=48498.msg1473972#msg1473972 date=1327998224]
yeah but what if it was murder....surely it has to be exposed.
[/quote]


And wouldn't the Police or whoever have said there were suspicious circumstances already?

Then surely if it were a murder case then a lot of details wouldn’t be made public whilst the investigation was taking place.

 

[Rosco]

[quote author='Dave' link=topic=48498.msg1473969#msg1473969 date=1327998142]
Oh I see, Ross & Co.

I guess its just people don't pay and therefore we don't hear about your Joe Public unfortunate demise.

I don't really want to know the finer details of Gary Speeds last hours or anyone elses for that matter.

I have heard that often these cases are graded for want of a better phrase as accidental for insurance reasons. Is that true?
[/quote]

Anyone can actually walk into the Coroners Court and view the proceedings, I've only sat in on a few but they're strange. I don't know about the insurance thing but it's not uncommon for what appears to be suicide to be recorded as an open verdict when they can't be sure about whether the person meant to kill themselves. I suppose insurance companies probably don't payout in cases of suicide. ?

 

[themn]

[quote author=My_Blood_Bleeds_Red link=topic=48498.msg1473972#msg1473972 date=1327998224]
yeah but what if it was murder....surely it has to be exposed.
[/quote]

Who do you think would want to murder Gary Speed ?

Courtney Love or the F.B.I. ?

 

[Dave]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=48498.msg1473978#msg1473978 date=1327998802]
I suppose insurance companies probably don't payout in cases of suicide. ?
[/quote]

That's what I have read.

Therefore if it's accidental the widow or whomever is entitled to it, gets the life insurance. I guess it’s similar for an 'open verdict'.

 

[My_Blood_Bleeds_Red]

[quote author=themn link=topic=48498.msg1473982#msg1473982 date=1327998935]
[quote author=My_Blood_Bleeds_Red link=topic=48498.msg1473972#msg1473972 date=1327998224]
yeah but what if it was murder....surely it has to be exposed.
[/quote]

Who do you think would want to murder Gary Speed ?

Courtney Love or the F.B.I. ?
[/quote]

you never know man...it's a crazy world after all.

 

[themn]

[quote author=My_Blood_Bleeds_Red link=topic=48498.msg1474034#msg1474034 date=1328001535]
[quote author=themn link=topic=48498.msg1473982#msg1473982 date=1327998935]
[quote author=My_Blood_Bleeds_Red link=topic=48498.msg1473972#msg1473972 date=1327998224]
yeah but what if it was murder....surely it has to be exposed.
[/quote]

Who do you think would want to murder Gary Speed ?

Courtney Love or the F.B.I. ?
[/quote]

you never know man...it's a crazy world after all.
[/quote]

Yes, yes it is a crazy world.