38-year-old Daniel Donnelly took his own life after the court banned him from seeing his daughter.
The father was found lifeless at his home in Hull, Humberside 20 days after the court banned him from seeing his child.
The coroners’ court heard that Donnelly had ‘lived for weekends seeing his daughter’ and had gone clean after fighting addiction to drugs.
His friend said to The Sun that the court’s decision took him ‘over the edge.’
The devastated father left suicide notes at his apartment where he lived alone.
Donnelly’s sister told the inquest that she believed the ban led to his death. “Danny did not have any mental health problems. He was a very happy-go-lucky man and would bounce back from anything.
“He was always laughing and joking and would do anything for his family. He lived for his [daughter]. Anything bad he would have done in the past was due to drug taking.”
A friend who worked with Donnelly at a factory said that the doting father lost his job and feared losing visiting rights to see his child.
“He idolised his daughter. She was his life,” said the friend. “But he said he was having trouble with his ex and it was going through the courts.
“He used to work so he could see his daughter at the weekend. He just lived his life for his daughter.
“I messaged him the day he killed himself to see how he was doing. I found out several days later. I think that court case took him over the edge. Every time he used to mention court he used to get down and feel low in case it was going to go against him.”
The inquest heard that Donnelly had taken cannabis, cocaine and drank six beers before he passed away. Area Corner Rosemary Baxter said: “The evidence from the postmortem examination by Dr Paul Cooke found that Danny had taken some cocaine which may have added to the desire to take his own life.
“There were suicide notes found at his flat and the court refused him contact with his daughter shortly before his death and this upset him dearly.
“I also conclude that this was a pre-planned act.”
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