Father, 22, took his own life after relationship broke down

Oliver Wilkes had sent pictures of himself which caused his girlfriend Chloe Portsmouth concern, prompting her to call police, a hearing at Black Country Coroners Court was told.

Officers subsequently gained entry to the pair's home at Bottle Kiln Lane, Brierley Hill, on April 14 where they found the 22-year-old hanging.

He was taken to Russell’s Hall Hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after.

His mother Lynn Wilkes paid an emotional tribute to the dedicated carpenter for A&D Joinery saying: “Oli was very much loved by many, many friends and family.

“He was very, very hard working. He lived for his work. He never had a day off. We were so proud of him.”

But she told the hearing in Oldbury that the family was not informed about his death until several hours later by a neighbour and claimed they may have been able to intervene.

She said: “Olly's death could have been prevented if we’d have known what had been going on throughout the day. We didn’t know anything until 11.50pm when a neighbour told us.”

Miss Portsmouth had told the inquest their relationship had deteriorated since August last year and said within a few months they were contemplating splitting up.

She said: “We were on about splitting up just after Christmas. Me an Olly looked at the practical side of things.

“We had bought the house and only had it a year. Me and him thought we would look like idiots if we split up after a year.”

Coroner Zafar Siddique delivered a verdict of ‘suicide’ adding: “It is absolutely tragic for anyone to take their own life but what makes this even more upsetting is that he was such a young man, he had his whole life ahead of him and had a young child.”