A Billericay man found hanging from an extension cable killed himself because high property prices had shattered his dreams of living with the woman he loved, an inquest has heard.

Michael Maloney, 27, was found dead at his parents' home in Mallow Gardens on April 7, just hours after returning from visiting estate agents in Wickford.

Mr Maloney, who was schizophrenic and suffered from manic depression, had tried to take his own life a number of times between 1991 and 1995, although he had since shown considerable signs of improvement.

But an inquest in to his death at Chelmsford Coroners Court heard that the trip to Wickford, where Mr Maloney hoped to find a flat to share with his new girlfriend, had driven him to the brink of despair.

Recalling the day of his death, stepfather Terence Mitchell, said: "His mother took him to Wickford to give him some idea of the prices, but when he found out how high they were he got very upset about it.

"He got very agitated, so much so that his mother had to drop him off in Ramsden Heath and leave him."

After his stepfather had picked him up and brought him home, his unreasonable behaviour continued, forcing his parents to leave him alone in the house to cool off.

"When they returned an hour later, they found him hanging from an extension cable from the loft.

Recording a verdict of suicide, coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray said: "He didn't leave a note but there was a very clear history of him intending to take his own life and I am satisfied that is what he did indeed do."

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