A MUSIC lover who suffered from the skin condition psoriasis hanged himself in woods near his home.

Karl Andrew Jones, from Llay, was found dead at the Alyn Waters Country Park last November.

The 28-year-old had been suspended from his job as a care worker in the weeks leading up to his death, an inquest at Flint heard yesterday.

His mother, Anita, told the hearing he had become unreliable at work because he had started drinking more. He was also facing police charges at the time of his
death.

She said the family all felt Mr Jones had planned his death.

“He was almost at peace in the last week,” said Mrs Jones. “It was as if he was more relaxed.”

The inquest heard Mr Jones had done more with his family in the last week of his life, decorating the house and cooking a meal for them.

His father Gareth added: “It was only that last week he started to join in a bit more with things.”

Mr Jones was born in Llay and had been a pupil at Llay Infants School and Castell Alun School, Hope, before attending Yale College in Wrexham where he studied technical theatre.

A great music lover, he taught himself to play the drums and was a member of several local bands, including the Night Fires and The Good Captain.

Mrs Jones said: “Karl was a very kind, popular lad. He was quite shy in school as he was growing up but had many, many friends.”

After college Karl spent a year at Salford University, but left before completing his course.

His father told the hearing: “He didn’t like university, the course wasn’t what he expected.”

At the time of his death Mr Jones was living at home with his parents in Bromfield Avenue, Llay.

“He was very much a home boy,” said Mrs Jones. “He tried to leave home on a couple of occasions but always came back. He never had depression diagnosed but we suspect he was depressive.

“We saw the down side and the hours he spent in his bedroom because the psoriasis had flared up.

“His psoriasis was quite bad at the time of his death and we do feel that was what pushed him over the edge.”

The inquest heard that there had been a previous occasion when Karl had been rushed to hospital after taking an overdose.

Despite Karl’s suffering from psoriasis he spent time helping his friends.

Mrs Jones said: “People said he was like a good Samaritan. They would phone him up and he would talk them through problems. He was a very kind person.”

On the day of his death on November 15 Karl’s friend, Bethan Hughes, received a text message from Karl saying he had to leave and he was sorry.

Bethan went to Alyn Waters Park as she knew he went there to think sometimes.

When she arrived in the car park she found a note on the seat of Karl’s car and phoned police.

A post-mortem examination revealed Mr Jones died from asphyxia, a lack of oxygen, as a result of hanging.

Recording a verdict of suicide, North East Wales deputy coroner John Gittins said: “There can be sadly no other conclusion that he genuinely wanted to bring an end to his life.”