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Mehmet Rahmetoglu |
Man found hanged from park tree
A MAN with a “heart of gold”, found hanging from a tree in Regent’s Park before Christmas, had not uttered a word for over a year, an inquest heard.
Mehmet Rahmetoglu, 39, a father-of-one from Cruikshank Street in Islington, was dressed all in white when he was discovered hanging from a tree by an early morning dog walker on December 13.
Statements from his GP and psychiatrist disclosed to Wesminster Coroner’s Court revealed that Mr Rahmetoglu had battled with a severe mental illness for seven years leading him to change his name, become an “elected mute” and cut off all ties with his family.
Mr Rahmetoglu, whose wife and five-year-old daughter live with her father in Turkey, only communicated in writing. He had confessed to hearing voices that told him he would die if he ever spoke.
Photographs of Mr Rahmetoglu hanging from the tree by a bedsheet – dressed in a white jacket, trousers and shoes – were shown to the court by coroner Dr Paul Knapman.
The inquest heard that the former restaurant owner came to this country from his native Turkey 19 years ago. He had been admitted to a psychiatric unit in 2002 suffering from suicidal hallucinations.
But in the months leading up his death Mr Rahmetoglu, who had changed his name by deed poll from Hamza Kucukkose in 2006 to sever links with friends and relatives, had told his psychiatrist he was ready to talk again.
Speaking after the inquest his friend Lokman Baysan paid tribute to Mr Rahmetoglu, saying he was a generous man who had become deeply troubled by the death of his mother.
Mr Baysan said: “It is a very tragic story.” |
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