The grieving widow of a man jailed for his role in one of Britain's biggest-ever cocaine rings broke down in tears as an inquest heard he took his own life.
Michael Corish, 58, suffered from PTSD after he was jailed for his part in a £4bn cocaine racket. Since his release Mr Corish had tried to help teenagers turn their lives around and not follow the same path he had, an inquest into his death was told.
Mr Corish was found dead in his Bradford Holiday Inn Express room in June last year, miles away from his devoted wife Martine and his family - his daughter, a promising lawyer, and a son about to enter the Royal Navy. He had previously been jailed in 2011 for 13 and a half years for his involvement in a drug plot.
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Much of the conspiracy was run from an innocuous city centre telephone box that saw the Liverpool gang working with high-ranking London crooks and international drug dealers as they looked to flood the streets with 40 tonnes of cocaine from Columbia. Their plan involved bringing the drugs over from Central America by sea - Honduras was considered before Venezuela was chosen as a casting off point for the shipments - with the illegal loads stashed in tins of fish or wood pellets.
The gang had attempted the shipment three times but internal disagreements and mix-ups meant despite hundreds of thousands of pounds changing hands the Serious Organised Crime Agency got in to stop them before the plot could come off.
An inquest in Yorkshire yesterday, Monday, February 20, heard Mr Corish, of Croxteth, was found dead in the Bradford hotel room on June 10 2022. He had been working as a foreman on a major building project yards away on the same street.
A friend and colleague, Jamie Churchill, said he had been employed on the scheme by Crosby business Davis Construction Ltd. Mr Churchill said he had given him the job and he was "a top bloke". His widow Martine said they had been together for 23 years and it had been "love at first sight" when they met.
She said they had been looking forward to a romantic anniversary together and he had been texting their daughter for her to get flowers for his wife as they prepared for an enjoyable weekend. She told assistant coroner Peter Merchant their daughter texted him at 11.56pm on June 9 and he said: "He couldn't wait to come home." She added: "I called him at 5.48am (the next day).
"I felt someone was in the room with him. I called him at 6am and said: 'Why are you talking weird?' He loved his family and his kids and his daughter is studying law. We had arguments like most couples do."
There was no sign of him so he asked the female receptionist, Courtney Craven, to investigate which she did. She said she was shocked at what she saw behind the door and said she "was worried that the man could still be alive." West Yorkshire Police officers arrived and confirmed that there were no suspicious circumstances. The court heard that the deceased had sought professional help from mental health charity, James' Place.
The hearing was told that the deceased had tried to help other children and teenagers turn their lives around instead of following him down the wrong path. Before delivering his conclusion Mr Merchant asked Martine: "Do you think it was a deliberate act?" She replied: "I don't know. I wasn't there." He concluded that Mr Corish had taken his own life.
Afterwards, Martine wiped away tears as she told YorkshireLive: "He was a lovely man. You don't know what goes on in someone's mind. There is now the Mick award that gets awarded to children, he helped so many kids."
Helplines and support groups
The following are helplines and support networks for people to talk to, mostly listed on the NHS Choices website
- Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you're feeling, or if you're worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org.
- CALM Campaign Against Living Miserably (0800 58 58 58) is a leading movement against suicide. It runs a UK helpline and webchat from 5pm to midnight 365 days a year for anyone who has hit a wall for any reason, who need to talk or find information and support.
- PANDAS (0808 1961 776) runs a free helpline and offers a support service for people who may be suffering with perinatal mental illness, including prenatal (antenatal) and postnatal depression plus support for their family or network.
- Childline (0800 1111) runs a helpline for children and young people in the UK. Calls are free and the number won't show up on your phone bill.
- PAPYRUS (0800 068 41 41) is an organisation supporting teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal.
- Mind (0300 123 3393) is a charity providing advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.
- Students Against Depression is a website for students who are depressed, have a low mood or are having suicidal thoughts.
- Bullying UK is a website for both children and adults affected by bullying.
Amparo provides emotional and practical support for anyone who has been affected by a suicide. This includes dealing with police and coroners; helping with media enquiries; preparing for and attending an inquest and helping to access other, appropriate, local support services. Call 0330 088 9255 or visit www.amparo.org.uk for more details.
- Hub of Hope is the UK’s most comprehensive national mental health support database. Download the free app, visit hubofhope.co.uk or text HOPE to 85258 to find relevant services near you.
- Young Persons Advisory Service – Providing mental health and emotional wellbeing services for Liverpool’s children, young people and families. tel: 0151 707 1025 email: support@ypas.org.uk
- Paul's Place - providing free counselling and group sessions to anyone living in Merseyside who has lost a family member or friend to suicide. Tel: 0151 226 0696 or email: paulsplace@beaconcounsellingtrust.co.uk
The Martin Gallier Project - offering face to face support for individuals considering suicide and their families. Opening hours 9.30-16.30, 7 days a week. Tel: 0151 644 0294 email: triage@gallierhouse.co.uk
James' Place - supports men over 18 who are experiencing a suicidal crisis by providing quick access to therapy and support. Call 0151 303 5757 from Monday to Friday between 9.30am and 5.30pm or visit https://www.jamesplace.org.uk/
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