A security guard who plunged 350 feet to his death from a City skyscraper was “destroyed” by the break-up of his marriage, an inquest heard.
Officers investigating Kevan Ward’s death discovered a number of texts in which the father-of-one told of the “horrendous” time he was having.
Mr Ward, 46, fell from a roof terrace of the Willis building, the London HQ of the global re-insurance giant where he worked as a security supervisor. In a message sent to his girlfriend Michelle days before his death on September 12, he wrote: “There is so much to tell you about the horrendous last five months such as ill health, not sleeping properly, various depressions but most of all, I’m scared.”
City of London coroner’s court heard that in another message to Michelle on September 11, Mr Ward wrote: “I don’t think you would have wanted my company today. I didn’t want my company today. I just want one thing and that is to sleep tonight.”
The inquest was told how the security guard had been depressed following the break-up of his 16-year marriage to wife Nicola. He had moved into the spare room of his sister’s flat in Grays, Essex, after the split in June and was looking for a flat near his family in Essex.
Pc Kim Vandermark, one of the officers investigating the death, said Mr Ward had received messages of support. “There was a text saying ‘Remember you are not alone’,” she said. “There was another one on September 11 at 8.33am from his sister Colleen saying
‘I hope you feel better. Just remember, these feelings will go away.’ ”
Lee Koch, regional manager for Mitie security, said he had offered Mr Ward a promotion and spoken to him “four or five times” about his marriage problems and offered to help. However, he conceded that he did not refer him to the occupational health therapist.
The coroner adjourned the inquest until January 16.
