A MISSING man whose body has never been found likely took his own life, a coroner has ruled.
Ben Gibson, 35, disappeared after leaving his family home near Workington during a ‘stressful situation’ on March 30 last year.
His vehicle was discovered in the area of Ennerdale Water the following day, but despite extensive searches, the dad-of-three has never been found.
An inquest heard the qualified paramedic had been arrested by police and then released on bail, the day he went missing.
His wife, Deborah Gibson, had returned home and found a note with insurance, mortgage and bank details, along with a message which said, ‘I love you all very much’.
Mr Gibson had provided a new phone number, which his wife dialled and asked him to come home.
He returned to the property for a short while but then left again in his car and this was the last time Mrs Gibson saw her husband.
She recalled that he was ‘emotionless’ and ‘guarded’ and gave nothing but short answers to her questions.
Cockermouth Coroners’ Court heard that Mr Gibson had struggled with his mental health during the coronavirus pandemic.
He had moved out of the family home when the pandemic hit and was living in a property at Egremont to avoid passing Covid on to his family while working as a paramedic.
When he moved back home, Mrs Gibson said she noticed his behaviour had changed and he became distant. He was referred to his general practitioner and was diagnosed with a form of bipolar disorder. He was prescribed medication for this.
His mental health then improved and he had taken a job as a trainee advanced clinical practitioner, working between the A&E departments at the Cumberland Infirmary and the West Cumberland Hospital. He was studying for a master’s degree while working full time and sometimes struggled with the academic side of this.
Mrs Gibson said: “He was my best friend, my other half. He was a loving husband and a brilliant dad to our girls. I didn’t know how much he was struggling before he went missing.”
She added their lives had been ‘completely turned around’ since Mr Gibson’s car was found.
A statement from detective chief inspector Calvin Greaves of Cumbria Police said Mr Gibson could not be located and despite all the resources, it was ‘impossible to fully search the surrounding area.
Detective superintendent Matthew Scott added that police had conducted all reasonable lines of enquiry and it was his view that Mr Gibson was deceased.
There had been no proof of life and no activity on any of his bank accounts.
Robert Cohen, assistant coroner for Cumbria, found it was ‘more likely than not’ that Mr Gibson died in the vicinity of Ennerdale Water, on or around March 30, 2023.
The medical cause of death was unascertained. Mr Cohen concluded that Mr Gibson died by suicide.
The coroner told Mrs Gibson: “I repeat how sorry I am for your loss and the trauma you have faced.”
News and Star newspaper article
