Depression led to man's death

A WESTON man who suffered years of depression and anxiety was found dead at his home after not being seen for a week.

Rodney Button, of Clifton Road, was well-known for his skills as a guitar maker and musician as well as for his time spent running the Red Admiral pub in Alexandra Parade.

An inquest into his death, at Flax Bourton Village Hall on Tuesday, heard that the 54-year-old was found on the floor of his home on April 19 last year by two police officers.

His friend John Bowles, who he ran the pub with, had reported Rodney missing after he had not seen him for a few days.

When he was found, Rodney was slumped on the floor of his living room with a number of tablets around him and a half-full bottle of red wine.

He had been treated for depression since he was a teenager and at the time of his death had been taking a combination of five different tablets to alleviate this and other conditions.

A pathologist report revealed his death was caused by lamotrigine toxicity, resulting from an overdose of one of his tablets.

At the hearing, a statement from John Bowles revealed Rodney had become more and more anxious and depressed about the running of the pub from about March last year.

Rodney's sister Marlene Flint said: "I last saw him on March 31 just before I went on holiday.

"I knew he was extremely depressed at the time, but he was surrounded by his friends and I thought he would be ok.

"I was used to seeing him in such differing moods I didn't notice anything more unusual on that day."

Deputy coroner Brian Whitehouse said: "In order for me to record a verdict of suicide I have to be absolutely certain Rodney intended to take his life.

"In view of his history of mental health problems this is not possible, therefore I will record an open verdict."

* A number of tributes have been left for Rodney since his death. To leave yours log on to the obituaries section at www.westonmercury.co.uk