Hospital 'absconder' died in fall, inquest hears

A man who fell to his death while detained under the Mental Health Act was known to medical staff as a "prolific absconder" from hospitals, his father told an inquest.

Tom James, 26, died last June after falling from a building in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, having been granted two hours' unescorted leave from the town's Northgate Hospital, the hearing in Norwich was told.

In a statement, his father Mark said Mr James's family had told hospital staff he had previously jumped from another building.

The jury heard Mr James had a history of mental health problems.

Mr James, who grew up in Lowestoft, Suffolk, was the youngest of five children, and was described by family members as "kind and sensitive".

The inquest heard he had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and had spent time in different hospitals.

In a statement, his mother Sarah said he had been "an inquisitive and thoughtful child".

She said his mental health problems had caused him to try to call police and admit to crimes he thought he had committed.

He believed he had a chip implanted in his head by the government that could "control" him, she said.

In his statement, his father said Mr James was a "loving" person.

He said staff at Northgate Hospital knew he had "previously jumped" from a building.

This incident happened in 2018, and resulted in a number of injuries.

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On 29 May last year, Mr James was granted unescorted leave from Northgate Hospital and was due to return after two hours.

But an hour later, emergency services were called to the town's seafront and Mr James was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, where he died days later.

At a previous hearing, the primary medical cause of his death was given as traumatic brain injury and adult respiratory distress syndrome.

In his statement, his father said there were "no words to explain our loss".

The inquest continues.

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