A health and safety officer leapt to his death from the same multi-storey car park where he had seen another man commit suicide, an inquest has heard.

Stephen Edward Pawsey, 39, of Jubilee Close, Hockley, died from multiple injuries in Southend town centre on November 26 last year after suffering what his wife described as a "panic attack".

Karen Pawsey told South-end Coroner's Court her husband had been affected by the suicide he saw at the same site. And, in a note found on his body, he mentioned a situation that concerned him.

She said: "I think he lost perspective and had a panic attack. It was also about a form that someone completed incorrectly and signed. He found it had incorrect details and, when he challenged her, she became distressed.

"He reinterpreted it that she had misunderstood the form. It would have been better if he'd reported the facts but he realised that would have jeopardised someone else's career."

Mrs Pawsey said her husband had shown no outward signs of depression or worry and having previously been in the fire service for 18 years had probably become used to traumatic events.

She said: "I know the suicide he saw on the same spot distressed him."

A statement read in court from witness John Robinson said he saw Mr Pawsey fall on to Chichester Road.

Dr Peter Dean said: "Mr Pawsey would go out of his way to help people, and may have put himself in a difficult position for someone else."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.