A young bet365 employee tragically lost his life after reportedly losing a significant amount of money at a casino before falling from a bridge and being struck by a truck, an inquest revealed.
The 24-year-old, identified as Michael Heath, passed away on July 29 following the bridge incident on the A500. Despite having a history of mental health struggles and a previous suicide attempt, there were no apparent signs of distress leading up to his death.
Michael, who worked for bet365 in Newcastle-under-Lyme, had battled mixed anxiety and depressive disorder, but had shown remarkable progress in managing his mental health. His family noted that he seemed stable and content shortly before the tragic event.
During the inquest, Michael’s father mentioned that his son had a job as an online customer service advisor at bet365, where he received positive feedback from customers. Although Michael had concerns about returning to work due to illness and potential disciplinary actions, he appeared normal and did not raise any alarms.
On the day of the incident, Michael’s father returned home in the early hours to find his son absent, assuming he was still at work. Later, he received distressing text messages from Michael before the tragic news unfolded.
The coroner, Li Hammer-Naylor, ruled Michael’s death as suicide, citing evidence of intent from the messages he sent to family and friends. The deliberate nature of his actions supported the conclusion that he had taken his own life.
For those needing mental health support, the Samaritans can be contacted at 116 123, via email at jo@samaritans.org, or by visiting their website to locate the nearest branch.
