A man who may have been worried by problems about access to see his child took drugs and alcohol before hanging himself by the banks of the River Ouse in York, an inquest heard.

Coroner Donald Coverdale recorded a verdict of suicide on Mathew Charles Chapman, aged 30, of Maidstone, Kent, saying his action in hanging himself with a cord showed some premeditation and planning.

The inquest heard that Mr Chapman's body was found hanging in a small copse by the river behind St Peter's School shortly after midnight on August 15.

A post-mortem revealed what Mr Coverdale called "a significant quantity" of alcohol in his body, plus traces of cannabis and cocaine.

Det Sgt John Roberts said Mr Chapman had come to York when his girlfriend moved to the Acomb area of the city in 1998, but when the two had arguments he would leave for a while and live elsewhere in York or even in Maidstone.

Det Sgt Roberts said the couple had a baby, but problems about getting access to the child had caused Mr Chapman to be depressed, and he had been in hospital with depression in the South of England during May and June.

He returned to York on August 12, but at about 6pm on August 14 rang his father in Maidstone to ask him to buy a rail ticket so he could go back to Kent.

Despite police efforts it had not been possible to trace the rest of his movements that evening before his body was found, said Det Sgt Roberts.

Mr Coverdale said Mr Chapman may well have been upset about his family and depressed because of the drugs and alcohol he had taken, but he believed the hanging was a deliberate act and that no one else was involved.

"He has planned it, he has carried it out, and unfortunately been successful with the attempt to end his life," he said.

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