A FORMER teacher from Newton Abbot took his own life after a workplace dispute left him a ‘broken man’, an inquest ruled.  

Kenneth Hinkley, 65, was reported missing to police on August 19, 2022, after having not been seen since the previous day.

He was found two days later in a field in Buckfastleigh, where he played as a child, by a member of the public. 

Police confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances. 

An inquest at Exeter Coroner’s Court heard Mr Hinkley, a carpenter, worked as a lecturer in the construction department of Exeter College.

In a statement, his wife said they had enjoyed a happy life together until 2017 when he was accused of assaulting a colleague at work. 

Mr Hinkley denied the claims and any physical violence.

A tribunal hearing in 2018 was dismissed part way through. 

It was claimed Mr Hinkley received a financial settlement after signing a non-disclosure agreement and was retired due to ‘ill health’.

Mrs Hinkley said while the investigation was being conducted, she saw a huge change in her husband's mental health and he never recovered from the ordeal. 

She said: ‘He very quickly became a shadow of his former self.’

She continued: ‘He never recovered mentally. He never got over the way he was treated and the lies that had been told.’

She believed he had been thinking of ending his life for ‘some time’.

She said: ‘He deteriorated to such a degree that he was severely depressed and had been for a long time.’

Mrs Hinkley read out a statement in tribute to her husband in which she said how much he was missed. She said: ‘He was a lovely man who enjoyed life and his family. Unfortunately, he was a broken man.’

She concluded: ‘The last moments of his life, his issues became worse and became more troubled.’

Mr Hinkley’s GP said in a statement he had diabetes which was ‘poorly controlled’ and suffered a mild heart attack.

The cause of his death was prescription drug toxicity.

Recording a conclusion of suicide, assistant coroner Deborah Archer said: ‘I am satisfied he took his own life and intended to do so.’

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