A BUILDER with a long history of depression and an ‘explosive’ personality texted a friend to say noone cared about him and he would not be around tomorrow two days before he was found hanged in his home, an inquest heard today.

Stephen Bassett, 45, was found hanging from the loft of his home in Adlestrop, near Moreton-in-Marsh, in February after neighbours raised the alarm that the lights of his house had stayed on for three days.

When police arrived at the house on New Road Cottages, they found Mr Bassett hanging from the loft with a nylon rope around his neck.

There were no signs of a struggle or any disturbance, and the house was secure although there were a number of empty drinks cans and a crushed cider bottle in a carrier bag in the loft.

Sergeant Martin Jones told the Gloucestershire inquest Mr Bassett’s mobile phone contained several text messages sent to and from a friend on the afternoon of Saturday February 11.

In one, Mr Bassett said: “No-one gives a s*** about me, do they?”

In another, he said he was thinking of moving south to find work and in others he rejected advice to seek help.

The last message said: “Forget tomorrow, I won’t be around.”

His GP, Dr Al Ahmed, told the inquest Mr Bassett suffered from an explosive personality disorder and impulsive disorder and had mild learning difficulties.

He had been treated for anxiety and depression for some time, but six months before his death his mood seemed to be under control, Dr Ahmed said.

A post mortem revealed normal levels of anti-depressant drugs and 130mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood which, the pathologist said, may have caused mild intoxication depending on his tolerance.

She recorded his cause of death as hanging.

Gloucestershire coroner David Dooley described it as a ‘sad scenario’ and said there was not enough evidence to prove he had intended to commit suicide, or that it was an accidental death.

He said there was clearly an element of planning as he had climbed into the loft and tied the knot, but his legs were only just off the ground when he was found so it was possible it was an accident during experimentation.

“He does appear to have acted alone with, therefore, no anticipation of interruption,” he added.

“His final text message is not clearly suicidal in content.”

An open verdict was recorded.