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Oil company vice president Nick Spencer from Beaconsfield 'took own life after being made redundant'
The vice president of an oil and petroleum company had feeling depressed about being made redundant before he tragically took his own life, an inquest heard this week.
Nicholas Spencer – known as Nick – had worked in the oil industry for “a long time”, but had been let go in March this year, leaving him feeling down.
The 61-year-old’s employment ended on March 31 – and just one week later, on April 7, he took his own life in the garage at his Scotswood Close, Beaconsfield, home.
According to an online tribute page, Nick worked at BP, with his former colleagues paying tribute to a “great friend”.
At an inquest into Nick’s death at Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court on Wednesday, a statement from his wife Eve said had been looking for a new job but had been left worried about the state of the oil industry and the worsening coronavirus outbreak.
Eve’s statement added that her husband had seemed “a bit more down than usual” just before he passed away, with his upset possibly added to by the 12th anniversary of a family bereavement.
On the evening before he died, Eve told how Nick went to bed at around 2am which was “unusual” for him.
The next morning, April 7, Eve said she woke early but went back to sleep until around 9am. When she went downstairs and into the study, she found notes addressed to her and Nick’s children.
Worried at the note’s content, Eve called the police, raising a fear for welfare for her husband.
Police arrived at the house to begin a search – and Nick’s body was found in the garage. He had died as a result of hanging.
The inquest heard how on January 18 in a consultation with his doctor, he had spoken about finances, remortgaging, the loss of his job and going through the process of a settlement, as well as symptoms of “self-blame and regret”.
He told his GP he had suffered with suicidal thoughts in the lead-up to Christmas but said his children and the impact his death would have on them were a protective factor.
He was “calm and articulate”, during their consultation, the doctor added, and he was considered a low risk to himself at that time.
Treatment was recommended, but Nick had cancelled his follow-up appointment.
Senior coroner Crispin Butler said Nick’s death was “utterly tragic”, ruling it was suicide.
More than 100 tributes and messages of condolence were left on the online remembrance page, with colleagues saying Nick was an “amazing person”.
One tribute read: “I was completely floored when recently hearing that Nick had passed away. He was a lovely guy - intelligent, sharp and an absolute pleasure to spend time with.
“I last met him just before he left BP and we were discussing positively all the amazing life possibilities ahead.
“A great shame - he's been taken way too soon and everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him will miss his calmness, good humour, intelligent conversation and honesty/openness.”
For confidential support in the UK, call the Samaritans on 116123, email jo@samaritans.org or visit a local Samaritans branch. See samaritans.org for more details.
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Last updated by System Admin on 27th August, 2018