'Highly talented' university lecturer, 53, killed herself after husband started affair and wanted a divorce, inquest hears
A 'highly talented' university lecturer killed herself after her husband began an extra marital affair and wanted a divorce, an inquest has heard.
Dr Claire Dinan began suffering from anxiety and depression following the breakdown of her 28-year marriage when husband Frank O'Friel revealed he had met someone at work, Exeter Coroner's Court heard.
The Area Coroner Nicholas Lane said Dr Dinan struggled with her mental health in the weeks and months before she died and was suffering anxiety and depression largely due to the news of her husband's affair.
The 53-year-old also believed her two children, who she adored, would be better off without her and thought her death would allow her friends and family to 'get on with their lives'.
Dr Dinan had also written a journal which highlighted the turmoil she was going through, adding that the ordeal had left her 'sad and broken'.
The inquest heard she had twice made plans to kill herself by using plastic bags and also jumping off cliffs.
She had lost weight because she was not eating properly and was also suffering with a lack of sleep in the weeks before her death in April 2023.
The coroner said Dr Dinan also thought she was being a burden on her sister and mother, who later discovered her body hanging at her home in Teignmouth, Devon, where she had gone to stay the night before.
Dr Dinan completed her PhD at the University of Exeter in geography in the marketing of sustainable tourism in the Business School.
The university said the mother of two was 'a highly skilled researcher and educator whose work on sustainable tourism influenced national policy'.
The inquest heard Dr Dinan had self referred to Talk Works, Devon NHS Talking Therapies Service, but it was felt she was too high risk for them to take on.
Dr Dinan was then in contact with the Community Mental Health Team who she called in the hours before she died, but she was told that she would not be taken on to their caseload as her risk was low.
The coroner referred to a 'potential gap in the service' which can have catastrophic consequences but was told that improvements have since been made although funding was still an issue.
Mr O'Friel said his wife was a 'very anxious person' who liked routine and certainty.
He said her journal 'made it clear to me the turmoil she was going through and had made plans to end her own life'.
Days after her death he found notes addressed to family members in her bedroom drawers and a rope tied into a noose.
The inquest heard in December 2022 Mr O'Friel wanted them to separate and in February 2023 she was left devastated when told he had met someone at work.
Her mother said the marital breakdown left her daughter with a loss of confidence, incoherent with grief and impacted her mental health.
The night before she died Dr Dinan was upset at the marital home they shared, so her husband drove her to her mother's home where she stayed the night and called the first response team the next morning to help her.
But she was left feeling 'bemused' at their response because 'no one believed her'.
When her mother went out for the morning, she returned to find her daughter hanged.
She left a note for her parents apologising for what she had done but saying: 'I don't have a role any longer, I cannot go on. All my love, Claire.'
Her sister said Claire was 'an intelligent and articulate individual with a very responsible job' but was in a 'sea of chaos' as she took 'one step forward and two steps backwards'.
Coroner Mr Lane said: 'Clearly there were many significant issues in recent days, weeks and months prior to her very sad death.'
He said Dr Dinan suffered an acute stress reaction to the marital breakdown.
Mr Lane said her family were unaware of the extent of her thought processes about killing herself which came to light later in notes and the journal.
He said the phone call she had that morning with the mental health team may have contributed to her decision to kill herself but was not the direct cause, as that her 'ongoing personal problems'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Western Telegraph
Growth in nurse numbers declines amid slowdown in international recruitment
Over the past year, 20,671 nurses and midwives who were educated outside the UK joined the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register for the first time – 30% fewer than the previous year, according to a new review of nursing numbers in Britain. Officials said that changes to visa rules may have played a part, as well as a drive to recruit locally. 853,707 nurses and midwives registered to work in the UK NMC But the regulator warned that domestic recruitment is not enough to offset international slowdown. 'The number of UK-educated professionals joining our register for the first time has continued to grow but at a slower rate and not by enough to offset the fall in international recruitment – hence the overall register has grown more slowly over the past year,' the review states. While the report shows that the number of nurses and midwives on the register has reached the highest number on record, with 853,707 now on the register, it also shows that the rate of growth is lower than the previous year. A total of 32,163 UK professionals joined the register in the 12 months to March 2025 – a 5.9% rise compared to the previous year. But 2023/24 saw an 11.9% rise in the number of new nurses and midwives from the UK. And the figures equate to an extra 1,800 UK workers who joined the register over the past year, compared to 8,959 fewer international joiners. We've seen a slowdown in international nurses and midwives joining our register, that's a significant shift from recent years Paul Rees, NMC Overall, there are more than 788,000 nurses and 46,000 midwives on the register as of March 2025. The area which saw the biggest growth was the number of nursing associates which stood at 12,782 in March 2025, a 17.5% rise compared to March 2024. Meanwhile, concerns have been raised about the number of nurses and midwives leaving the profession due to mental and physical health issues. Some 28,789 people left the register last year, with 13% of these saying they felt forced to leave due to a physical or mental health issue. This was the second most common reason for people to leave the register last year, behind retirement, according to the NMC review. And of those who felt forced to leave due to a health issue, 84% said their role had worsened their mental health. Meanwhile, nursing leaders raised concerns over the small proportion (20%) of leavers who said they would recommend a career in nursing or midwifery. Paul Rees, interim chief executive and registrar, said: 'We've seen a slowdown in international nurses and midwives joining our register, that's a significant shift from recent years and there are likely a few reasons for it. 'Even with this change, our register is still growing – and it's becoming more diverse. That's a real strength. 'It also means we must make sure everyone can work in an environment that values diversity and tackles racism. 'The Nursing and Midwifery Council has a responsibility to be fair to everyone on our register, whatever their background. That's why we'll soon be setting bold new targets to eliminate bias from our regulatory processes.' Commenting on the figures, Lynn Woolsey, chief nursing officer at the Royal College of Nursing, said that the number of people studying nursing in the UK is 'falling through the floor', adding: 'The Government has been as unethical in stopping international recruitment as its predecessor was in abusing it. 'This boom and bust approach must end and a strategy that boosts domestic supply and delivers fair treatment for international staff is what's needed. 'We warned the Government that hostile immigration policies and poor pay were driving international staff away and at a time when we couldn't afford to lose a single nurse. 'The slowing growth of the UK-trained workforce isn't coming close to offsetting the number of international recruits leaving.' A spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care said: 'There are record numbers of nurses, midwives and nursing associates, but this government is further boosting the recruitment and retention of homegrown nursing talent. 'We inherited a situation where the NHS was forced to rely on the immoral recruitment of nurses from countries which desperately need them – our 10 Year Health Plan and our refreshed workforce plan will make sure the NHS has the right people in the right places to give patients the care they deserve. 'This includes giving nursing staff a second above-inflation pay increase in 10 months, meaning a nurse will earn over £30,000 as a new starter for the first time. 'On top of this, we are improving working conditions by tackling violence against staff and protecting the 'nurse' title in law.'
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Growth in nurse numbers declines amid slowdown in international recruitment
Officials said that changes to visa rules may have played a part, as well as a drive to recruit locally. But the regulator warned that domestic recruitment is not enough to offset international slowdown. 'The number of UK-educated professionals joining our register for the first time has continued to grow but at a slower rate and not by enough to offset the fall in international recruitment – hence the overall register has grown more slowly over the past year,' the review states. While the report shows that the number of nurses and midwives on the register has reached the highest number on record, with 853,707 now on the register, it also shows that the rate of growth is lower than the previous year. A total of 32,163 UK professionals joined the register in the 12 months to March 2025 – a 5.9% rise compared to the previous year. But 2023/24 saw an 11.9% rise in the number of new nurses and midwives from the UK. And the figures equate to an extra 1,800 UK workers who joined the register over the past year, compared to 8,959 fewer international joiners. Overall, there are more than 788,000 nurses and 46,000 midwives on the register as of March 2025. The area which saw the biggest growth was the number of nursing associates which stood at 12,782 in March 2025, a 17.5% rise compared to March 2024. Meanwhile, concerns have been raised about the number of nurses and midwives leaving the profession due to mental and physical health issues. Some 28,789 people left the register last year, with 13% of these saying they felt forced to leave due to a physical or mental health issue. This was the second most common reason for people to leave the register last year, behind retirement, according to the NMC review. And of those who felt forced to leave due to a health issue, 84% said their role had worsened their mental health. Meanwhile, nursing leaders raised concerns over the small proportion (20%) of leavers who said they would recommend a career in nursing or midwifery. Paul Rees, interim chief executive and registrar, said: 'We've seen a slowdown in international nurses and midwives joining our register, that's a significant shift from recent years and there are likely a few reasons for it. 'Even with this change, our register is still growing – and it's becoming more diverse. That's a real strength. 'It also means we must make sure everyone can work in an environment that values diversity and tackles racism. 'The Nursing and Midwifery Council has a responsibility to be fair to everyone on our register, whatever their background. That's why we'll soon be setting bold new targets to eliminate bias from our regulatory processes.' Commenting on the figures, Lynn Woolsey, chief nursing officer at the Royal College of Nursing, said that the number of people studying nursing in the UK is 'falling through the floor', adding: 'The Government has been as unethical in stopping international recruitment as its predecessor was in abusing it. 'This boom and bust approach must end and a strategy that boosts domestic supply and delivers fair treatment for international staff is what's needed. 'We warned the Government that hostile immigration policies and poor pay were driving international staff away and at a time when we couldn't afford to lose a single nurse. 'The slowing growth of the UK-trained workforce isn't coming close to offsetting the number of international recruits leaving.' A spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care said: 'There are record numbers of nurses, midwives and nursing associates, but this government is further boosting the recruitment and retention of homegrown nursing talent. 'We inherited a situation where the NHS was forced to rely on the immoral recruitment of nurses from countries which desperately need them – our 10 Year Health Plan and our refreshed workforce plan will make sure the NHS has the right people in the right places to give patients the care they deserve. 'This includes giving nursing staff a second above-inflation pay increase in 10 months, meaning a nurse will earn over £30,000 as a new starter for the first time. 'On top of this, we are improving working conditions by tackling violence against staff and protecting the 'nurse' title in law.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
GPs to hunt patients with 'red flag' risk factor for lethal pancreatic cancer - are YOU on the list?
Health chiefs are set to introduce a groundbreaking screening scheme that aims to offer long-awaited hope for those who develop the UK's most lethal cancer. Pancreatic cancer—dubbed a 'silent killer' due to its subtle symptoms—kills just over 10,000 patients every year, about one death every hour. It is typically diagnosed at late stages, as warning signs are easily mistaken for other problems. But now, GP clinics will contact patients believed to be at high-risk of the disease, and call them in for urgent tests, in the hope of pre-empting symptoms. Those considered at danger of developing the illness are the over 60s with a recent diagnosis of diabetes or sudden weight loss. Despite numerous breakthroughs for other forms of the disease that are helping patients live longer, the outlook for pancreatic cancer patients remains shockingly dismal. Just one in 20 of those diagnosed with the disease are expected to live to see the next decade, with more than half dying within just three months. The new NHS pilot, involving more than 300 GP practices in England, aims to find patients at the earliest, most treatable stages of the disease. Health service officials hope the £2million project, which will be in full swing this autumn, will result in at least 300 earlier diagnoses. Currently only about one in five pancreatic cancer patients are diagnosed in the early stages of the disease when treatment has the greatest chance of success. Medics will specifically look for recent cases of diabetes due to data suggesting about half of pancreatic cancer patients are diagnosed with the blood sugar condition shortly before they are found to have the disease. This is because the cancer destroys the same insulin-producing cells in the pancreas—which help control blood sugar—that are also destroyed in diabetes. These patients will be called in for urgent blood tests and medical scans. If pancreatic cancer is spotted early, before it spreads throughout the body, about half of patients will survive at least a year. But if cancer has already spread beyond the organ—as happens for the majority of patients— only one in 10 patients will survive a year. Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer, said: 'Pancreatic cancer is responsible for so many deaths because patients don't usually notice symptoms until the cancer is at an advanced stage, which is why we need to find new ways to pick it up. 'If your GP practice identifies you as at risk of pancreatic cancer, I urge you to come forward for testing as soon as possible.' Health minister Karin Smyth added: 'This targeted approach to identify people at risk of one of the most lethal cancers could give more people a fighting chance and spare the heartbreak of countless families.' Alfie Bailey-Bearfield, head of influencing and health improvement at Pancreatic Cancer UK, said: 'Many of the people who are referred for a CT scan during the pilot will not have pancreatic cancer, but for those that do, the impact could be lifesaving. 'Subject to the pilot's success, we will be calling for this pilot to be expanded across the country to help give more people affected by the deadliest common cancer the very best chance of survival.' Previous research has shown that people over 50 with a new case of type 2 diabetes have a higher chance of being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer within three years. While pancreatic cancer is most likely to strike people over the age 75—with 47 per cent of all cases in this demographic—younger groups can also get the disease. Last year MailOnline highlighted a 'frightening' explosion of young women developing the disease. Rates of pancreatic cancer have soared by up to 200 per cent in women under the age of 25 since the 1990s. While numbers remain low, oncologists cannot explain the surge in young women, with no such spike noted in men of the same age. Overall, incidences of the disease have increased by around 17 per cent in Britain over the same timespan, with soaring obesity rates suspected to be behind the trend. A number of celebrity diagnoses in recent years have thrown pancreatic cancer into the spotlight. Last year former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, 76, died after a battle with the disease. Other famous victims include legendary actors Patrick Swayze and Alan Rickman as well as Apple's iconic founder Steve Jobs and The Smiths bassist Andy Rourke. Potential symptoms of pancreatic cancer include jaundice, where the whites of the eyes and skin turn a yellow hue, alongside itchy skin and darker urine. Other possible signs include loss of appetite, unintended weight loss, constipation or bloating. While these symptoms are unlikely to be cancer it is important that they are checked out by a GP early just in case, especially if people have had them for over four weeks. The pancreas is a tadpole-shaped organ that forms part of the digestive system and also performs a crucial role in hormone regulation. It is located just behind the stomach and is about 25cm in length. In its digestive role, it helps produce enzymes that help the body break down food into the nutrients it needs. It is also critical in making hormones responsible for controlling blood sugar levels in the body. Charity, Cancer Research UK, estimates 22 per cent of cases of the disease are caused by smoking and 12 per cent by obesity.
