Dad who took own life was charged with sex offences

‘FAILURE BY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES’ CONTRIBUTED TO DEATH

- CHRIS SLATER

A DAD who took his own life had been charged with a string of sexual offences weeks earlier.

Married joiner Simon Cooper's suicide was contributed to by 'failures' in his care by mental health services, a coroner has concluded Mr Cooper, 37, died after being found unresponsive at his home in Mossley, Tameside, on September 22 last year.

An inquest into his death last week heard that in August he had been charged with a 'serious offence! The nature of the charge was not disclosed during the hearing at South Manchester Coroners Court in Stockport.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has now confirmed Mr Cooper had been charged with eight sexual offences.

He was due to appear in court charged with five counts of sexual activity with a child; two counts of causing or inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity; and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. The charges all relate to the same alleged victim.

Mr Cooper was informed he had been charged by letter, which the inquest heard was sent on August 23.

Mr Cooper died before his scheduled first court hearing at Tameside magistrates court in December last year and so never entered pleas. Instead, at that hearing on December 14, the case was formally discontinued.