A MAN took his own life just hours after leaving police custody, an inquest heard.

James Galston, known as Jamie, was found dead at Roanhead Farm on April 20 this year after he was released from police custody that morning.

Fossil hunters found the 42-year-old's body near the beach and paramedics recorded his death at 5.43pm. 

His final text to his partner was 'look after the kids, I love you.' 

His widow told Cockermouth Coroners' Court there was 'not much mental health support' for him while he was in custody. 

The Independent Office for Police Conduct investigated the incident and determined that Mr Galston, of Kirkby-in-Furness, was adequately risk assessed while in custody, with nothing to say that the police were aware or thought to be aware of a declining mental state, the inquest heard.

It was not revealed in the inquest what Mr Galston was arrested on suspicion of.

Stephen Ferrier, the practitioner who was responsible for triage assessments in custody,  gave evidence to the inquest.

Mr Ferrier would have been the one to respond to any evidence of poor mental health. 

He said: "Mr Galston had been brought into police custody on April 20. Mr Galston said that he may require support in response to his current state of mind as he was experiencing suicidal thoughts. Mr Galston was safe in his cell."

He was allowed out into the exercise yard and appeared more relaxed when leaving police custody, the inquest was told.

Mr Farrier said that he appeared to be able to keep himself safe during his release and that he was going to be staying with his parents. 

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Mr Galston shared a meal with his parents and saw his children before they left for the school run, the hearing was told.

He told his father that he was going to bed early and this was the last time they saw him. 

Mr Galston's partner Victoria Galston said that Jamie was born in Southport, Merseyside, in September 1980, and had worked as a chef in various places around the Lakes before joining her cleaning business in 2019. They married in May 2018. 

She said: "Jamie and I went to bed and I woke up to a police officer in my bedroom early on Thursday morning. Jamie was saying they were arresting him because of an allegation made. I rang Jamie and the police station a few times, Jamie said he was banging his head on the wall in custody. There wasn't much mental health support for him in custody from what I saw."

Coroner Robert Cohen recorded a verdict of suicide.

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