A man with a history of mental health problems died after he fell from the edge of a quarry, an inquest heard. Wayne Hemmings, 47, suffered catastrophic injuries when he fell into a garden.
The incident happened on March 2 after Mr Hemmings, who was on medication for schizophrenia, had gone for a walk in Dobcross, a village between Oldham and the Peak District where he lived.
He died of 'multiple fatal injuries', the inquest at Rochdale Coroners' Court was told on Monday.
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The court heard Mr Hemmings had suffered mental health problems since university and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia for which he was prescribed medication. However, his parents told the inquest he never attempted to take his own life nor harm himself.
He was assessed by mental health professionals in May 2021 when it was concluded he was of 'low' risk of harming himself, the inquest was told.
Prior to his death, the medication he was prescribed was changed to aripiprazole, which his family noted made him 'warmer' and more sociable. The inquest heard concerns were raised in January, 2022, that Mr Hemmings was becoming 'increasingly agitated'.
The week before his death he told his mother he was feeling 'dreadful'. Aripiprazole is a 'long-acting' anti-psychotic medication which is administered to patients twelve times each year rather than other anti-psychotic medications which are administered thirteen times in a year.
The inquest heard Mr Hemmings was concerned that he had not received his medication but a toxicology report revealed aripiprazole was in his system at the time of his death.
On the day of his death, neighbours reported seeing Mr Hemmings pacing up and down outside his home on Southgate at 3am but they said this was 'not entirely unheard of', the inquest was told.
Mr Hemmings was said to have been seen to be 'agitated' on the afternoon before his death when he went to the to the edge of the quarry, which is lined by holly bushes and which has a number of warning signs, the inquest was told.
Coroner Catherine McKenna noted evidence from his family that Mr Hemmings visited the spot as a child and played on a rope swing there.
Miss McKenna said it was 'quite possible' he went there simply because it was an area he was 'familiar with'.
"The danger signs may well not have carried the same import which they may have done with someone less familiar with the area," she said.
Recording an open verdict, the coroner said although he was in an 'agitated state' there was not enough evidence that Mr Hemmings either intended to take his own life or died as a result of an accident. She noted police had found no evidence of damage to the holly bushes, which are spaced one metre apart and which form a fence before the edge of the quarry, and no evidence he had slipped.
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