A BUILDER took his own life after he was reported to police for sexual assault, an inquest has heard.

Ross Wayne Robbins of Underhill Road, Hereford, was found in his van at Haugh Woods in the early hours of September 9 2019.

In a statement read by Herefordshire Coroner Mark Bricknell at the inquest on September 23 2020, daughter Charie Protheroe said her father had been upset by having to leave his home due to bail conditions when an allegation of sexual assault was made against him in June.

Mrs Protheroe reported her father missing after becoming concerned that she could not contact him on September 8.

Police visited the 60-year-old's home, where they found suicide notes. He was found in the secluded car park near Mordiford just before 1am.

Mr Robbins was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem revealed very high levels of carbon monoxide in his blood.

The criminal investigation ended after his death, but PC Leah Lowe said police would have sent the case to the Criminal Prosecution Service had he not died.

The coroner heard he had been admitted to Hereford’s Stonebow Unit twice in July 2019 after attempts to take his own life.

Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Barnaby Major said he believed Mr Robbins had suffered an extreme reaction to his arrest, but that there was no evidence of a treatable mental illness and so he was discharged with support from the mental health crisis team.

“It is apparent to me that he had an acute reaction as a consequence of the police investigation,” Herefordshire coroner Mark Bricknell said.

He concluded that Mr Robbins died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning and recorded a verdict of suicide.