A ‘FINE, friendly’ Ghanaian man 'seeking greener pastures' in Cumbria took his own life over worries about his family being forced to return to their native country amid difficulties over their immigration status, an inquest heard.

Albert Mensah, 36, was found dead at 9.40am on June 9, 2024 by Kyle Yates, a chef who was foraging for edible flowers in woodland west of Park Road in Barrow.

Mr Yates called Cumbria Police upon finding Mr Mensah and an officer was able to locate them by 9.54am.

In a statement submitted to Cockermouth Coroner’s Court, the officer was able to identify Mr Mensah through two pieces of photo ID, including a temporary residence permit for the United Kingdom. 

He said there were no footpaths to the location and it was 'extremely unlikely anyone else was present prior to arrival' because of this. 

Mr Mensah’s wife Queenscliff Mensah told Assistant Coroner for Cumbria Robert Cohen that she had arrived in the UK in October 2023 after securing an employment sponsorship to obtain a working visa.

Mrs Mensah said that her husband followed her on November 1 as a 'dependant', and tried to find work in Barrow as a labourer, enlisting a friend's help to do so.

He met this friend Emmanuel Wyche, while he was living on Harrison Street, and Emmanuel was a joiner working on a property there.

A statement submitted by Mr Wyche said that Mr Mensah was a 'very friendly person, very kind, and made friends easily'.

Mr Cohen summarised: "When he last saw Albert, he was alright, but he was aware that he was having issues with his immigration status."

Mrs Mensah told the court that she had received a letter from the Home Office that the company that sponsored her was having their licence revoked and she had two months to find a new sponsor, or they would be forced to return home to Ghana.

At this point, she said Mr Mensah had found work with an engineering company.

She said: "If I get it, he depends on me, if I don't, we both go home together.

"Upon that, his company tried their best to get him sponsorship, it made him so worried as we have family, we have kids, so we were worried about how we were going to sort out things.

"We were both worried but he became so worried and upset.

"We both didn’t want to go back home so he doesn’t know what to do."

Mrs Mensah said she went to Manchester to try to find a new sponsorship, leaving Mr Mensah in Barrow.

She said that in early June, she received a call from the company he worked for to 'check that he was alright' as he hadn’t been to work since June 1.

Mrs Mensah said she could not get hold of him so made enquiries around people she knew in Barrow, but nobody had seen her husband.

Worried, she then returned to Barrow to find Mr Wyche, intending to file a missing person’s report, but when she was with Mr Wyche, he received a call saying that Mr Mensah’s body had been found.

Summing up Mrs Mensah’s statement, Mr Cohen said: "He was a beloved husband, a loving husband, a caring father, and a supportive family man.

"He was hard working, friendly and always making people happy.

"I entirely understand the grief and sorrow you must feel in respect of the loss of such an important part of your and your children’s life.

"You’d moved to the UK seeking greener pastures, and there was some difficulty once you'd arrived associated with your immigration status."

Mr Cohen said that toxicology samples showed nothing of any significance.

Concluding, he said: "The court heard moving evidence from Albert's wife about what an extraordinary figure he was in their life, and how much she misses him, and I can well understand that.

"Statements from Mrs Mensah and other evidence that I have considered speak for the fact that at the time of his death Albert’s immigration status in the United Kingdom was somewhat precarious, and this was causing him a particular level of stress and anxiety.

"I can entirely understand that, and I’m sorry to hear it, but it illustrates why Albert may have done what he did."

Mr Cohen concluded that Mr Mensah’s death was one of suicide by hanging.

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