A TEENAGER hanged himself in a hostel after repeatedly going to the Royal Bolton Hospital claiming he was going to commit suicide, an inquest heard.

Jamie Nolan’s mother, Elizabeth Nolan, told his inquest at Bolton Coroner’s Court how she “begged” staff to admit him to a psychiatric unit, but was told he was not at immediate risk of harming himself and could be better treated in the community.

The court heard how 19-year-old Mr Nolan, a former Harper Green School pupil, had an unsettled adolescence, leaving home when he was 17 and becoming homeless.

At the time of his death, on April 12 last year, he was staying at the Stonham House men’s hostel on Chorley Old Road, Bolton, where staff member Gareth Markland found him in his room.

Two months earlier staff had found a noose in his room and suicide notes.

Assistant deputy coroner Geoffrey Saul was told how Mr Nolan had become obsessed with his health after his father was diagnosed with, and subsequently died from, the degenerative brain condition Huntington’s disease.

Mr Nolan learned he also had a 50 per cent chance of developing the illness.

The court was told that, between January 1 and February 8 last year, he turned up at the Royal Bolton Hospital’s accident and emergency department on at least five occasions.


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But each time staff felt he was not at immediate risk of killing himself and so he was not admitted as an inpatient.

On January 15, while waiting to see a nurse practitioner, he left the hospital saying he was going to Crompton Lodges to kill himself, but a sister at the hospital rang his mobile phone and persuaded him to return.

After an assessment of his mental state staff decided he would be better treated in the community with psychological therapy and anti-depressants.

On February 8 he was taken to the hospital by police after phoning his mother telling her he loved her and was going to kill himself.

Psychiatrist Dr Sophie Benoliel said she saw Mr Nolan, but felt it not appropriate to admit him.

Mrs Nolan said she begged the hospital to admit him, adding: “I knew something was going to happen to him. Jamie’s feeling was that people weren’t listening to him.”

The inquest continues.