Family seeks answers over Shrewsbury man's death

Peter James Farebrother, 70, who was known as Mr Meole Brace for his love of the golf club, had suffered with mental health problems for many years, a coroner's court heard. The father-of-two was found hanged in his room at the Redwoods Centre in Oxon, Shrewsbury, on August 24 last year.

He had been an in-patient at the centre, which offers mental health care since July 17 that year, and had recently moved wards after he expressed suicidal thoughts.

An inquest into the circumstances of Mr Farebrother's death, to be decided by jury, was opened by Shropshire Coroner John Ellery yesterday at Shrewsbury Town's Greenhous Meadow.

Dr Richard Evans, Mr Farebrother's GP, said he had been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder in 2005, but had been suffering with "persistent hallucinations" since 2001.

He was on regular medication and while in recent years his mood seemed to have stabilised, he took a turn for the worse when he told the doctors he felt he had been "possessed by the devil" who was telling him to stab his wife, Elizabeth Farebrother.

Mrs Farebrother told the inquest that they couple had lived in Cherry Orchard with their two daughters. In 1980, he disappeared one night and returned soaking wet, saying the devil had told him to jump in the water. After treatment things returned to normal for five to six years, she said, but he returned to Shelton as a voluntary patient on and off.

It was in 2013 that he told her "he's back", and she was present when he told the doctor he wanted to stab her.

In a statement on behalf of the family, solicitor Miranda Hill said: "The family hope to obtain answers to the many questions that they have surrounding his care following his transfer to Pine Ward in the 48 hours prior to his death."

The inquest continues.