The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A troubled Spalding man deliberately put himself in the path of a freight train near his home, an inquest has heard.
Jeremy (Jez) Gareth Spikings was instantly killed in the “utterly unpredictable” incident close to Cherry Holt Level Crossing in Pinchbeck in the early hours of December 7 last year.
The hearing at Boston Coroner’s Court today (Thursday) was told that the 51-year-old had kept a drink-driving charge secret from his family.
Mr Spikings – a warehouse manager with Spalding fresh fruit and vegetable firm Fesa UK Ltd – was a “proud” person and his elder brother knew the alleged motoring offence would have played heavy on his mind.
Steven Spikings told the hearing their parents had always told them not to drink drive and agreed with coroner Tim Brennand’s suggestion that the “family ethos would have accentuated his level of shame”.
Steven said his brother, whom he employed, was a hard worker and always in high spirits there, but had always had “quite a difficult temperament at times”.
Jez, he said, had been the closer one to their parents.
“There’s no doubt that the death of our parents had a massive traumatic effect and I’m not sure he ever got over that,” added Steven, who said his brother killing himself was “utterly unpredictable”.
The hearing was told that Jez, of Vernatt’s Green, would often turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism.
He had suffered from occasional low mood since 2012 and overdosed on pills and vodka in 2015. He’d had some support with his mental health.
“Up to about two weeks before his death he had become noticeably less happy with life in general,” said Steven. He said Jez had been speaking of wanting to “refresh” his life by moving to London and Steven and his financial director had been due to meet him on the day that he died to discuss matters.
Jez’s ex-wife Doreen said a phone call to their son at 6pm the night before his death had seemed normal and he’d signed off by telling Sam he’d see him in the morning.
Jez also called his partner Kirsty Odell. She described him as “emotional and a little bit teary” at first but fine by the time they had finished speaking.
About six hours before his death, he texted her: “Thanks babe. I love you very much and I’m sorry.”
A British Transport Police employee told the hearing that the train driver’s statement and CCTV footage of the 3.19am incident pointed to it being a “deliberate” act by Jez and there was nothing the driver could have done to avoid the impact.
Steven asked that his family’s thoughts be relayed to the driver. Mr Brennand, who returned a conclusion of suicide, echoed that request and included all who attended the harrowing scene.
