The tragic death of a 'happy-go-lucky' Wigan man who faced mental health struggles when his relationship ended
A Wigan man described as a “gentle giant” was struggling with his mental health and the breakdown of a “toxic” relationship in the months before he died, an inquest heard.
Dean Heyes loved spending time with his family, including his seven nieces and nephews, enjoyed walking his beloved dog, was a keen gym-goer and worked as an environmental enforcement officer for Wigan Council.
His sister Jessica Heyes said he was generally “happy, laughing, a happy-go-lucky kind of person” and a “great” friend and brother.
An inquest at Bolton Coroner’s Court heard Dean sadly died at the age of 39, after being found unresponsive at his home on Ormskirk Road, Pemberton, on February 2.
He had been in a relationship described by his sister as “very unhealthy, very toxic” and faced difficulties last summer when it came to an end.
She told the court he was approached by his ex-partner during a night out in Manchester and he spat in Dean’s face.
Dean later took an overdose and he was admitted to Wigan Infirmary’s A&E department on August 25 after his ex-partner raised the alarm.
On August 28, Ms Heyes visited her brother to ask if he would like her to buy him anything while she was at the supermarket.
But when she returned a short time later, she found him unconscious after another overdose and he was again taken to hospital.
Ms Heyes told the court: “I believe his attempts were more cries for help because he didn’t know how to navigate the breakdown of the relationship and feeling the way that he did.”
Dean was seen in A&E by Hannah Asomba, a senior nurse practitioner for the mental health liaison team, who referred him to his GP and put a safety plan in place.
He went to Garswood Surgery on September 1 and the court heard he identified the breakdown of his relationship as the driving factor for the overdoses.
He had a number of appointments at the practice, during which he was prescribed sertraline – an antidepressant he had taken nine years earlier – and discussions took place about his mental and physical health.
The medication dosage was increased in October, Dean was signposted for other support, including to Andy’s Man Club, and he started to see mental health practitioner Andrew Whittle.
But on November 2 Dean was again hospitalised due to self-harm.
He declined to have a full assessment, but a risk assessment was carried out by Ms Asomba. He told her he had bumped into his ex-partner and did not want to end his life.
He was discharged from hospital and seen at Garswood Surgery on November 3, when he told Dr Jacob Kan that he had intended to end his life.
The GP spoke to the mental health liaison team, as he had not received a discharge letter, to find out about an onward plan.
He told the court he was concerned about Dean’s impulsivity and that he could be a higher risk than it immediately seemed.
Dean had further appointments with the mental health practitioner, when they explored his relationship with his ex-partner and discussed other issues.
When Mr Whittle saw him in early January, he reported having no suicidal thoughts, his mood was “bright”, he had enjoyed a trip to the Lake District and was going to the gym regularly.
The court was told he had been on holiday to Egypt in December and spent Christmas with his family, who said he appeared to be “a bit more like himself”.
But on Friday, January 30, the inquest heard, Dean was in a “serious physical altercation” at home which involved his ex-partner.
His family found out on Sunday, February 1 when he posted pictures showing “visible facial injuries” on social media.
Ms Heyes spoke to him on the phone at around 7am, telling the court: “He said he had bumped into the partner and he doesn’t really understand what had gone on, but he was okay.
"I tried to call again at around 9am and he text me to say he was in bed.”
Records showed he requested a repeat prescription for his medication at 9.13am that day.
But his family became concerned when no-one heard from Dean again that day and when he did not attend work the following day, his brother Paul Heyes went to his home and found him unresponsive.
Emergency services were called, but Dean was confirmed to have died.
A post-mortem examination concluded Dean’s medical cause of death was hanging.
While he had recent external injuries, consultant neuropathologist Dr Neil Papworth said there was no evidence of internal injuries relevant to the cause of his death.
A police investigation was carried out, which found no suspicious circumstances or evidence of third party involvement in his death.
His family said there was a “lot of blood” in Dean’s house and it looked like a “fight scene”, but police coroner’s officer Laura Taylor was unable to tell them whether the blood had been tested.
Assistant coroner Bronia Hartley concluded that Dean died by suicide.
She was “satisfied” that he intended to end his life, highlighting that he had left handwritten letters and would not have expected to be found quickly.
She said his death was “against a recent background of emotional disregulation secondary to the extended dissolution of a dysfunctional relationship”.
If you need to speak to someone at any time, call Samaritans on 116 123.