THE family of an East Lancashire man have voiced their frustrations after he took his own life just days after a mental health assessment.

Mark Chapman was taken by wife Sharon to casualty after he was found with a rope he had brought home from work, Burnley Coroner’s Court heard.

The 47-year-old told mental health practitioner Caroline Whittaker he had been thinking of taking his own life but had reconsidered, an inquest heard.

He was referred for counselling, following the assessment, with Mindsmatter, the psychological therapies service, and given a number for a crisis team, the hearing was told.

But his family have criticised a decision not to consult his wife more extensively, or involve his sister, who was also present.

Mrs Chapman also questioned whether enough attention was paid to paranoia symptoms he had been exhibiting or the effect his withdrawal from taking steroids may have had on his behaviour.

His daughter Devon Chapman added: “We think he should have got a crisis intervention, if not sectioned.”

However Ms Whittaker told the hearing Mr Chapman had indicated during the session that he did not want his sister to be involved.

She also said that Mrs Chapman had been invited into the session later, when she had been referred to the Lancashire Women’s Centre, for additional support.

Sophie Blake, a counsellor for Mindsmatter, who said she managed to speak to Mr Chapman on the phone, at the third attempt, confirmed he appeared to be willing to engage with their services.

The inquest heard that Mr Chapman, from Spring Hill Road, Burnley, had sent family members a text stating: “I love you all”, on October 2, prompting serious concerns for his welfare.

CCTV footage later recovered from the Millennium car park in Burnley captured him on the top floor. His body was discovered later in nearby Brown Street.

PC Lydia Hurst told the court there was no third-party involvement in the death, the court.

Returning a suicide conclusion, coroner Richard Taylor said he acknowledged the family’s concerns about the assessment.

But Mr Taylor added: “The difficulty we have is that the way the system works, if he decided he did not want anyone else there then there is nothing that can be done.”