Inquest told tragic father TJ Pimm threatened to kill himself the day before he died

A DEPRESSED dad who plunged to his death from the roof of a multi-storey car park had been released from hospital the day before the tragic fall, an inquest has heard.

Terence Joseph Pimm, 30, known as TJ to friends and family, died on August 26 last year after falling from the top of the NCP car park in Osborne Street, Colchester.

A jury at Chelmsford Coroner’s Court heard there was a warrant out for the arrest of Mr Pimm after he failed to appear at Highbury Magistrates’ Court on a harassment without violence charge on August 23.

On August 25, officers were unable to find the troubled father-of-one, despite knowing he had a probation appointment at 5.30pm that day.

Mr Pimm, who lived in Dovercourt with his parents, arrived at his appointment at 5.45pm.

Elana Snowling, Mr Pimm’s officer, said: “I saw him standing in the waiting area holding his chin and looking a little agitated.

“He immediately asked if there was somewhere private we could talk.

“He started to cry and was saying earlier that day he had been to Kelvedon train station contemplating jumping.

“He decided not to and was coming to my appointment.

“On the way he went to the NCP car park, to the top, and thought about ending his life.

“He said it was down to a lot of things, a lot to do with his little boy and the lack of contact, saying he didn’t see him as often as he would like, and that he was in trouble with the courts.”

The probation officer took Mr Pimm to the accident and emergency department at Colchester General Hospital.

He was not assessed by a mental health nurse at hospital because he was deemed to be under the influence of alcohol and he went home with his mother.

The next day, August 26 last year, his mother dropped him off at the probation service office in the morning with the understanding he would hand himself into police.

He was pronounced dead at 1.16pm. A baseball cap and a pair of trainers, later identified as belonging to Mr Pimm, were discovered at the top of the car park.

Just weeks prior to his death, Mr Pimm was detained under the Mental Health Act after he made threats to kill himself at Romford train station.

He was taken to Goodmayes Hospital, in Ilford, on August 8, before being transferred to the Lakes mental health unit in Colchester.

The 30-year-old was assessed at the unit, run by the North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, but released the following day.

Caroline Beasley-Murray, Senior Coroner, told the jury the inquest would be looking into whether the authorities did all they could to prevent the death of Mr Pimm.

The inquest, which is expected to last four days, continues.