Ex-boyfriend sent text before suicide

A MAN who had fallen out with his ex-girlfriend was found hanging from the stairs in his home two days later.

Wexford Coroner’s Court heard how 26-year-old James O’Brien of Belvedere Grove, Wexford town, had fallen out with his ex-girlfriend Michaela Cogley of Liam Mellows Park, Wexford town, on October 28, 2006. Two days later he was found hanging from the staircase in his home.

Ms Cogley, in a deposition to the coroner’s Court, said that she had been in a relationship with Mr O’Brien for about five years.

“We split up at the end of May 2006 but we both remained on good terms. I would have called to James’s house and cooked meals for him. On Saturday, October 28, 2006, James and I had a falling out.

On the Sunday morning he sent me text messages telling me he was outside my apartment in Hollyville Court in the town. I didn’t reply to him as I wanted him to cool off, and then texted him after he had left my apartment,” she said.

She said that on Monday morning, October 30, 2006, he “sent a text message saying ‘Goodbye, whatever happens enjoy your life.’”

“I replied to him that we could sort the argument out,” she said.

Garda Bridget Cleary said gardaí called to the house at about 13.30pm that day.

Garda Oliver Daly forced the door open and Mr O’Brien was found hanging from the rail of the stairs.

Dr Maurice Murphy, pathologist at Waterford Regional Hospital, said the death was due to compression of the neck caused by hanging.

The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.