Tragedy moves Joy to offer help

Grieving Joy Kortbeek - whose police officer brother committed suicide - is to set up a Shropshire support group for people whose loved ones have killed themselves.

Her brother, 41-year-old Constable Peter Turner, from Newport, died when he jumped from the top of the Cherry Pink car park in Telford Town Centre last year. The officer had returned home after helping eliminate police corruption in Iraq.

His family said this completely changed his character.

Mr Turner left a large, close family including his wife Tania and two sons, now aged seven and 13.

They were all devastated by the loss and Mrs Kortbeek, 44, realised there was a lack of support for people in their situation.

National charity Sobs - Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide - put her in touch with two other women in Shropshire, from Bishop's Castle and Market Drayton, but the nearest branch group is in Staffordshire. Mrs Kortbeek, from Shrewsbury, said police family liaison officers had done their best to help, but she ended up talking to the car park attendants who first found her brother's body for comfort.

She said the family and friends of people who commit suicide often suffer hugely.

"My brother had a lovely wife and wonderful boys," said Mrs Kortbeek. "They say the relatives people leave behind die 1,000 times wondering why they did it."

Mrs Kortbeek said her brother's suicide note described what he witnessed in Iraq as "much worse than what we have seen on TV".

"Your life is in balance all the time out there," she said. "He had no emotion when he came back."

And she says speaking to others who have been through a similar thing can be the best way of dealing with the feelings.

"On a bad day, when you feel like shouting and swearing at the person who died, they can be the only ones who understand," she said.

"It's just so hard and I still miss him. He was such a happy-go-lucky lad - such a joker. I want to help people so they don't feel like we feel."

Mrs Kortbeek plans to hold support group meetings across the county and is appealing for anyone interested to get in touch. She can be contacted on 07816 983609.

By Dave West