School worker suicide 'avoidable'

Mr Baines was found dead in his car in October 2003

A school worker who killed himself believing he was being accused of child abuse, should have been given more information when he was suspended from his job, a coroner has said.

John Hughes said the death of support worker David Baines, 57, from near Wrexham, was unforeseeable but did have the potential to be avoided.

Mr Hughes delivered a narrative verdict at the end of a four-day hearing.

He is calling for changes in the handling of suspensions.

Mr Hughes said he would be writing to both Wrexham Council and the Welsh assembly urging a change in procedure.

Recording his verdict, the north east Wales coroner said: "The death of David Baines was not foreseeable but there was a potential for its avoidance."

The death of my father was a terrible tragedy and our family feel very angry that he took his life because he was never told at the suspension hearing anything about the reasons... Lee Baines

The inquest heard Mr Baines had killed himself in October 2003, the day after he was suspended from St Christopher's Special School.

Head teacher Maxine Grant had defended her handling of a meeting during which Mr Baines was suspended and a decision not to inform him what the exact reasons were.

The inquest heard that it was in fact a matter of "personal conduct" but relatives said Mr Baines believed he was being accused of child abuse. Officials, the court heard, had also been wrongly informed by police that Mr Baines had previous convictions for wounding and dishonesty.

In fact, the convictions belonged to another man with the same name - an error discovered only after Mr Baines' death.

I sincerely hope that what I have to say will not be ignored Coroner, John Hughes

The court was told that Mr Baines had been phoned almost nightly by one 14-year-old former pupil detained in a secure unit, but Mr Baines' widow Jacqueline said the calls were always above board.

Delivering a narrative verdict, Coroner John Hughes also called for more training for senior school staff in how to manage the suspension process.

"That would go some way to restoring confidence in the system. It didn't get the balance right on this occasion," he said.

Describing some of the evidence as "harrowing", he said he sincerely hoped his advice to the authorities would not be ignored.

Addressing Mr Baines' widow, he said her husband had been described during the hearing as an "enthusiastic and valuable member of staff and I hope you will cling to that".

Outside the inquest, Mr Baines' son Lee spoke of the family's anger.

"The death of my father was a terrible tragedy and our family feel very angry that he took his life because he was never told at the suspension hearing anything about the reasons for his suspension," he said.

Mr Baines was an education support worker at the Wrexham school

"As a result he was left to imagine the worst."

Also after the hearing, the organisation F.A.C.T ( Falsely Accused Carers and Teachers) issued a statement saying the case raised "many questions about society's attitude towards carers and teachers".

"He would not have died had the proper procedures and safeguards been followed and the necessary support systems been in place," it read.

Wrexham Council said it would take careful note of the coroner's comments but said Mr Baines' suicide was a "tragic and completely unforeseen outcome".

"The decision to suspend Mr Baines was taken conscientiously by responsible professionals acting in accordance with those procedures."