Wife speaks after gruesome find by passers-by (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Wife speaks after gruesome find by passers-by

1:18pm Tuesday 28th July 2009

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By Neil Skinner »

The wife of man found hanging in a city centre phone box has spoken of her grief and shock at the devastating news.

Andrew Pereira, 44, died on Thursday evening shortly after he was found slumped in the booth in St Peter's Street with a telephone chord wrapped around his neck.

Homeless Mr Pereira, who had a history of mental illness and alcoholism, was discovered outside Barclays Bank at around 6.45pm by passers-by.

Devastated wife Sharon told the Review her husband had been sectioned twice under the Mental Health Act in recent months and had been released from a mental health unit at Watford General Hospital in June.

Mrs Pereira, whose 14 year-old daughter is struggling to come to terms with the loss of her father, explained how her husband had left the family home in Abbots Langley to “sort himself out” but had recently shown signs of improvement.

She said: “I had seen him on the day that he had died in Watford. He had seemed happy and we had a really good time together. He was excited about our daughter’s birthday; about getting her a nice present. He seemed really positive.

“The next morning I had a call from the police telling me what had happened. I was so shocked. I just couldn’t believe what they were telling me.”

Mr Pereira had been staying at the Open Door night shelter in nearby Bricket Road for the last three weeks but was refused access by staff just hours before his death.

David Bogle, chief executive of the Hightown Praetorian and Churches Housing Association, which manages the shelter, said Mr Pereira was clearly intoxicated and in breach of the rules of admittance.

He said: "Our guidelines are quite clear - we do not have the facilities to look after people under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

"He told us he was going to book into a bed-and-breakfast, and staff had no reason to think he was about to harm himself.

"The staff are all shocked and upset"

Simon Feldman of Hertfordshire Constabulary said an investigation had revealed nothing to suggest the death was suspicious.

Richard Upton of the Hertfordshire Partnership Trust, which runs local mental health services, said: "We cannot comment on the detail of any individual case because of patient confidentiality.

"Following the investigation into this case we will look at whether there is anything further we can do to minimise the chances of a similar incident, and implement any necessary changes."

An inquest into the death has been opened and adjourned by the Hertfordshire coroner and will resume later this year.

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