A county councillor who died earlier this year has been described as "a loving husband and father" who will be "sadly missed."
An inquest was held on Thursday into the death of Coun Paul Scott, who had represented the Seghill and Seaton Delaval ward on Northumberland County Council. Witnesses including Coun Scott's widow paid tribute to the "respected" father of two. Mr Scott also worked in the office of Blyth Valley MP Ian Levy.
Speaking at the inquest, Coun Scott's wife Sally said: "Paul was a loving husband, father, brother and son and he will be sadly missed."
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Coun Eve Chicken worked closely alongside Coun Scott at a parish council leve l and succeeded him as county councillor for the Seghill ward. She said Coun Scott "loved his job" and had worked "so hard" to become a county councillor, adding it 'meant the world to him.'
However, the inquest also heard evidence that Coun Scott had suffered from depression for some time and had been prescribed medication to treat the condition. He had taken himself off the drugs on more than one occasion, but each time his depression returned.
The inquest heard that Coun Scott died on January 7 after being hit by a train. In December, he had began taking a higher dose of his anti-depressants than prescribed, which the inquest was told could have contributed to his thinking at the time of his death.
The coroner was told that in the days leading up to his death, Coun Scott was not himself and he "wasn't thinking clearly", and that should be taken into account.
Senior Coroner for Northumberland Andrew Hetherington recorded a narrative conclusion, and said Mr Scott "died as a result of his own actions while suffering from depression and having chosen to recommence taking his anti-depression medication shortly prior to his death."
Speaking after the inquest, Paul's brother Jonathan said: “As a family we continue to miss Paul enormously and remain devastated by his passing. We are thankful for all the support we have received from friends and family over the past seven months. We are also grateful to those helping us to raise money for Mind, as our chosen charity, in honour of Paul. We would urge anyone suffering with mental health challenges to seek appropriate help in a timely manner.”
Coun Scott's former employer Ian Levy MP paid tribute to him following the announcement of the verdict. He said: "Paul was a good friend and work colleague.
"Maureen and I, and the team in my office remain profoundly sad and miss Paul. Our thoughts are with Paul’s wife, daughter and son and we hope that the conclusion of the inquest can bring some peace after this desperately sad period in their lives.
"Our loss is nothing compared to theirs, and they are forever in our thoughts. We will always remember Paul's energy, drive and very mischievous sense of humour.
"He will be greatly missed by all who knew and worked with him. Paul was my Constituency Support Manager and well-respected county councillor for Seghill and Seaton Delaval. He was rightly proud of his role in local politics and he was driven by an intense desire to try to improve our local area for everyone. "
There are a number of services available for people suffering with depression. A statement on Samaritans website reads: "When life is difficult, Samaritans are here - day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123 or email them at jo@Samaritans.org, or visit www.Samaritans.org to find your nearest branch."
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