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Suicide victim’s
history of illness
A MAN who plunged to his death from Beachy Head had made two previous suicide bids on railway lines, an inquest has heard.
Twenty-nine-year-old David Camps, who had a history of mental illness, was found dead at the foot of the notorious suicide spot in July last year.
But a coroner this week said he was not convinced Mr Camps had taken his own life and recorded an open verdict.
East Sussex coroner Alan Craze said, “It was very, very probably suicide but there was no note.
“I need to be convinced without any doubt and I am not.”
The inquest at Eastbourne heard Mr Camps, of Garden Close, Shoreham, and who had lived in assisted living accommodation, suffered with acute psychotic disorder and schizo affected disorders for many years and was being treated within the community by psychiatrists and community psychiatric nurses.
His CPN Wendy Robinson, based at Brunswick House in Shoreham, who had been looking after Mr Camps for 18 months, said her patient’s mental health was not good and despite starting a new relationship and studying an Open University degree, he was very lonely.
She said Mr Camps had been fine in the weeks leading up to his death and admitted she was very shocked to hear of his death.
Mr Camp’s consultant psychiatrist Dr Mary Ellen Ross said Mr Camps had long-term problems but said, “He was striving to achieve his potential despite being unwell.”
The inquest also heard Mr Camps had been involved in two previous suicide attempts – one of which was on railway lines at Angmering Station – and had visited Beachy Head once before.
His body was discovered at the foot of cliffs on the afternoon of July 9 by a walker who alerted the emergency services.
The Eastbourne Coastguard team was called into action along with members of the Birling Gap Rescue Coastal Team whose members recovered Mr Camp’s body up the cliff top and into the care of the coroner’s officer.
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Weather for Eastbourne
Sunday 27 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
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