A DEPRESSED man who gassed himself to death at his Wisbech home had been having suicidal thoughts since 2002, an inquest heard yesterday.

Emergency services found Matthew Dodds, of Trinity Road, dead in his bedroom on November 9 last year. A helium gas canister was found under his bed and a post mortem revealed the cause of death to be asphyxiation.

The 31-year-old had a long history of depression and had been on anti-depressants for several years.

He had taken overdoses of paracetamol and tried to hang himself in the past, the inquest at Wisbech Castle heard.

Mr Dodds had received treatment from the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment (CRHT) team and Community Psychiatric Nurse Simon Chiverton, based at Agenoria House in Wisbech.

Mr Chiverton told the inquest that Mr Dodds had responded well to treatment and, in July last year, was feeling better.

But days later Mr Chiverton received a phone call from Mr Dodds’ mother. He said: “Matthew’s mother returned from work and found �2,000 missing. She believed Matthew had taken the money.”

Mr Chiverton visited the family’s home in August, where he spoke with Mr Dodds’ mother and sister.

“Matthew had used his mother’s money to buy a motorbike, which they would have to sell,” he said.

Mr Dodds did not attend subsequent appointments with Mr Chiverton and as a result of his recent progress, his file was closed.

Coroner William Morris concluded: “The verdict I return is as follows: Matthew Dodds killed himself.”