Inquest: 20-year-old Harley Snowling's death at Lowestoft home ruled as suicide
A 20-year-old man who was found hanged at his home in Lowestoft had previously told his family his 'life wasn't worth living', an inquest has heard.
Harley Snowling's body was discovered by his mother Karen on the stairs of his Bridge Street home on the morning on January 27 this year.
An inquest held at Suffolk Coroners' Court today was told that Karen had spoken to Harley on the phone earlier that morning but quickly became concerned for his welfare.
"Each weekday morning, I would always ring or text Harley to make sure he was up and ready for his college course," she said.
"Mondays were always a difficult day for Harley due to him having been out with friends the weekend before."
She said Harley, who was known to smoke cannabis, had asked her to pick him up as he 'couldn't face' going to college and said he was 'worthless'. He then became upset and hung up on her.
"I panicked and desperately tried to phone him," she said, adding that her son had suffered with his mental health for a number of years.
When she couldn't get hold of her son, Karen drove to his house and found her son, who would have celebrated his 21st birthday in October, lying face down on the staircase.
"I knew I couldn't touch him. I just ran outside screaming and asking for help. I felt so desperate," she said.
Trevor Turner, a paramedic with the East of England Ambulance Service, attended the scene but said it was too late to start life support.
A post mortem found no alcohol in Harley's system but did find traces of cannabis and cocaine.
Harley's father Harvey told the inquest, led by senior coroner Nigel Parsley, that his son was one of six children and was 'adored' by his brother and four sisters.
He added that due to work commitments, the family had moved to Spain when Harley was eight years old before moving to Dubai.
It was in Dubai that he said Harley had tried to hang himself for the first time following a break-up with his first girlfriend.
He added that Harley had got into gaming and often became 'angry and frustrated' when playing. Harley also racked up debts on his father's credit cards as a result of the games.
"This is when we saw a change in Harley," he said.
Harley dropped out of college in Dubai and moved back to the UK, where he took up a new job in Cardiff.
"It was there that he fell into the wrong crowd and began taking recreational drugs and attending festivals and raves," said Harvey.
Harley then returned to Lowestoft after securing a place at the International Boat Building Training College in the town.
"He was well supported by his nanny and grandad there and visited his brother and sisters regularly and spent time with his much-loved nephew and nieces," said Harvey.
"He kept his social life very separate from family life but would often speak to his mum about how he was feeling. She was his go-to person."
He added that his son was 'loved by everyone who knew him' and would 'strike up a conversation with a person of any age'.
Recording a conclusion of suicide, Mr Parsley described the circumstances of Harley's death as 'truly tragic'.
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