Inquest into the death of Gary Speed
By Liz Lockhart
The inquest into the death of Gary Speed was concluded this week. Mental Healthy reported, only weeks 
ago, on the tragic events surrounding Gary Speed’s wife finding him hanging in the garage at their home.
The coroner has found that Speed was not suffering from depression, stress or any form of mental health disorder. A narrative verdict was decided upon as there was no evidence to prove that the hanging was deliberate or whether Speed had placed the ligature around his neck as a ‘dramatic gesture’.
Speeds wife said that they had had ‘words’ on the night before she discovered his body. She had left the house to go for a drive and cool off and, upon returning home later, she realised that she was locked out. So as not to disturb the children she slept in her car outside the house until around 6a.m. and then managed to gain access. This was when she discovered the body.
Speed was found in the garage with the ligature attached to the stairs which led to an upper floor. The coroner recorded that he may have sat on the stairs with the noose around his neck in a dramatic gesture and then fallen asleep, falling from the steps of the stairs and hanging himself.
We will never know for sure what his intentions were but we do know that his death has left great sadness behind for his family and hosts of friends and colleagues. Gary Speed was a very popular football player and manager who was revered both on and off the pitch.
Our condolences are with all those who grieve him, especially the young children that he left behind.
