A ‘GREATLY MISSED’ 34-year-old dad who took his own life was described as 'kind-hearted' by his mother.

An inquest heard plumber Daryl Ashley List, of Fife Street, Barrow, was discovered in a container at Elliscales quarry in Dalton on the morning of April 1 2024 by a farmer who was staying in a caravan on the site.

A statement submitted to Cockermouth Coroner's Court by the farmer who found Mr List said he had gone to investigate the container as he had seen his company van parked next to the container with its door, and the container door, open.

The farmer had seen the van parked there at around 11pm the previous evening but it was 'not unusual' for it to be stored there overnight.

He said he had known Mr List for around nine months due to him renting the container on the site.

A statement submitted by Mr List's mother said he had started his own business around eight years previously and had employed 'around eight people' over the years to help.

She said he was 'kind-hearted', 'regularly putting other people first', and that he employed people who had struggled at school to ‘give them a chance to make something of their lives'.

His mother said his mental health struggles began when he started to have 'disagreements' with his ex-partner over him having access to his son.

She said that Mr List's friends had since told her of his previous attempts at suicide.

He had been engaging with a private psychotherapist since February 2024 but had declined help from NHS mental health services.

The psychotherapist was questioned by Assistant Coroner for Cumbria Margaret Taylor and said that he and Mr List had developed a 'real connection'.

When asked, he said that any suicidal intention that Mr List expressed to him would not lead him to contact other mental health services, due to confidentiality, but would 'advise' him to.

A family member in court told the psychotherapist that Mr List thought that there sessions were 'helping him massively'.

She said: "He spoke very highly of you."

His mother's statement said Mr List had been prescribed antidepressants 'for years', but they had not helped him.

A GP statement said that Mr List had consulted them on March 4 2024 about deterioration in his mental health and that an increase in dosage of his current prescription of mirtazapine was making him feel worse.

It said he reported feeling 'down' and 'anxious' with thoughts of self-harm.

He cited his employment and his mother as protective factors against suicide.

Due to the GP's concerns, Mr List was referred to the mental health crisis team who called him the same day.

Mr List reported that he was 'feeling better' after speaking to his psychotherapist and declined engagement with NHS mental health services other his GP, and so the referral was ended.

On March 13 he was admitted to Furness General Hospital emergency department after taking an overdose.

Mr List recovered and was discharged the same day as clinicians deemed him to have capacity to make a decision to again decline engagement with mental health services.

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A mental health trust representative told the court that there was a 'lack of professional curiosity' by both the call handler from the crisis team and the emergency department in Barrow about Mr List's history of mental health struggles, suicidal ideations, and addiction.

She said that lessons have been learned and that the Initial Response Service (IRS) was a 'fledgling service' and was in a 'state of review'.

She said that some of the focuses was on increasing engagement with a client’s family members and having 'difficult conversations'.

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Ms Taylor concluded that Mr List's death was suicide by hanging.

She said: "It's clear that Daryl had a lot going for him. He was intelligent, he was running his own business.

"He had challenges, he dealt with addiction, and self-medicated due to past trauma.

"For whatever reason, the protective factors he'd spoke about so often were not protective in a very short space of time probably because that is one of the difficulties with young men - impulsivity.

"The way Daryl died does not define his life.

"I sincerely hope you remember as time goes on the joy that Daryl has brought to your lives and not the struggles he faced."

Whatever you are going through, you don’t have to face it alone. Call Samaritans for free on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or visit www.samaritans.org for more information