Hospital safety team allowed suicide man Oliver Hedges to walk
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A
keen sportsman walked in front of a lorry on the approach to the
Dartford Tunnel half an hour after disappearing from a nearby
hospital, an inquest heard.
Oliver Hedges, 22, from Swanley, had been arrested twice within
the previous 30 hours by police concerned for his safety.
On one occasion he forced a fast train to stop near Swanley
station, and boarded the train trackside.
He told police he had tried to inject himself with bleach but it
hurt so much he gave up.
Earlier he had phoned his former partner, Kylie Inkpen, in a
distraught state. She told the jury he admitted taking
drugs and alcohol.
His mother, Beverley Brenchley, said he was a powerful rugby
flanker and a keen bodybuilder.
He changed after his playing career was ended in 2007 by an
injury that needed daily medication.
Later he admitted he had taken cocaine, but his personality
rapidly altered after he injected steroids.
An 11-member inquest jury was appointed to investigate how he
died after being taken into hospital care - and how he got
away from the Littlebrook hospital where his mental state was being
assessed.
This was later reduced to 10 members when one juror applied to
leave the hearing.
A post mortem revealed Mr Hedges had consumed a large amount of
alcohol and used cannabis shortly before his death in the early
hours of October 31, 2010.
The inquest continues.
Wednesday, February 22 2012
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