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Wales Online
16-05-2025
- Wales Online
Much-loved football coach took his own life, inquest told
Much-loved football coach took his own life, inquest told Alex Meek, 31, was found dead the day after attending a retirement party Alex Meek had been a football coach for several years, helping lots of people in his local community (Image: Paul Meek ) A much-loved football coach took his own life, a coroner has ruled. Alex Meek, 31, was found by his father at home on Gladstone Terrace, Merthyr, on November 25, 2023, after attending a colleague's retirement party. Pontypridd Coroners' Court heard that the former promising youth footballer, who represented Wales at under 14 level and scored the winning goal in a game, was off work suffering with stress and had received angry messages from the husband of a woman who he kissed after the retirement party. Coroner David Regan told the court that Alex had been signed off work a month earlier on October 26, 2023, from the school where he was a well-being and learning coach. But he said that Alex was a "fit and healthy adult" who went to the gym once a day and mountain biking twice a month. He was also a football coach with Heolgerrig Red Lion FC. A statement by Alex's dad, Paul Meek, was read to the court. Talking about the days leading up to his death, Paul said: "He was his normal self, he was happy and he was discussing his plans for the future." Stay informed on everything Merthyr Tydfil by signing up to our newsletter here . On the evening of November 24, 2023, Alex attended a retirement party for one of his work colleagues at Pentrebach Labour Club, a night his dad said Alex had been looking forward to. The court heard that at 2.30am, his father went to the bathroom and saw Alex in the kitchen. "He said it was quite a good night, he got two Welsh cakes and made a squash and we went upstairs. He had had a drink but he was still in good spirits talking about the night and how he enjoyed it." Article continues below Alex with his dad Paul (Image: Paul Meek ) Just after 8am, Alex's dad left for football coaching but got back around 10am. He went up to his son's room to say goodbye as he was going away with a friend. When he went in his room he discovered his son's body and immediately shouted for his brother, Anthony, who was in the room next door. They performed CPR, used a defibrillator and phoned 999 but Alex was pronounced dead at the scene. Whilst the emergency services were in the home, Paul recalled answering his son's phone to an aggressive voice. Paul recalled: "He said 'who is this' and I said 'I'm Paul, Alex's dad', and he the man said aggressively 'put Alex on the phone' and I said 'Alex is dead', he then ended the call." Paul then saw a message notification on the phone which read: "What the f*** happened between you and my wife last night." The messages, which came from a husband and wife, were subsequently deleted. The court heard written evidence from Grace Conaghan who said she dropped Alex home at just after midnight and was subsequently told by another woman she had kissed Alex but "nothing was going on and it was all a big misunderstanding". In a witness statement by the woman, the court heard she had attended the retirement party but not spoken one-on-one to Alex until he texted her asking to meet up after they had left. She explained the pair met up in the early hours of the morning where she described his mood as "low and depressive". She said the pair discussed his mother's death, his ex-girlfriend, his suicide attempt and her sister's recent death. She explained it was these intimate discussions which had led to them sharing a kiss. The woman explained that when she had returned home, she and her husband had argued for hours about who she had been with and the next morning he took her phone to figure out she had been with Alex. She said he had sent messages to him from both their phones and tried to call him. She added: "I was concerned about his welfare and told him not to contact Alex." In the husband's witness statement, he said: "I sent him a message reading 'what the f*** are you playing at ruining a 21-year marriage, she is a married woman with two kids'." He said another message read: "Answer your f***ing phone now Alex." He described the phone call he then had with Alex's father where he said he was told Alex had taken his own life. The husband said he didn't believe him and drove to the bottom of his street where he could see emergency services near his house. Paul Meek, Alex Meek's dad and club chairman at Heolgerrig Red Lion FC (Image: John Myers ) Dr Mary Frankland told the court Alex had been on anxiety medication for five years and after coming off the medication had sought help for his mental health several times in 2022 and 2023, the last of which resulted in him being signed-off sick. Pathologist, Dr Harry Haynes, told the court Alex had no other injuries or scars to his body and that a toxicology report showed he had a "very low level of alcohol" in his system, which was compared to one-seventh of the driving limit, and a low level of paracetamol. The inquest also heard evidence from Police Constable Ieuan Price, who was one of the first police officers at the scene, Detective Chief Constable Peter Davies, who had also been at the scene but had found there was "no indication of third party involvement" and Detective Inspector James Morris. DI Morris' job was to review the case and he explained they had tried to access Alex's phone multiple times through both the pin code and using special software. However, he said: "Software variations prevented that from happening." Whilst the police officers gave evidence, Paul Meek, who was representing himself, put several questions to the officers about key concerns he had about discrepancies in witness statements, the way the family were liaised with by the police and their inability to access his son's phone or try accessing his iPad or laptop. Paul also said he had only seen South Wales Police three times in 18 months and after the day Alex died, had received only one phone call from the criminal investigation department. Paul said his son "had many plans", including having booked to have his tattoo finished and go camping in the van they had renovated together. He added: "I believe Alex should still be here, he had many plans long-term and short term. He was happy and enjoying life." The family raised concerns about how the police handled the investigation, especially in relation to messages he received on the morning of his death, but Coroner David Regan ruled that Mr Meek had "expressed a clear intention to end his life". The court heard Alex had left a letter in the notebook on his bed. Coroner Regan said: "It seems to me in that Alex expressed a clear intention to end his life." Coroner Regan returned a verdict of suicide. He said: "I do bear in mind that in the early hours of the morning he appeared to be in a happy mood so as a death this came completely out of the blue to his family and is all the more shocking for it. "I'm satisfied that he intended to do so and it is appropriate for me to return a verdict that he died as a result of suicide." Article continues below He added: "He will be sadly missed not just by his family here today, but by his wider family and community."
North Wales Live
05-05-2025
- North Wales Live
Welsh woman died on Greek island hotel balcony
A Welsh woman was found hanged on the balcony of her hotel room on the Greek island of Zakynthos, an inquest has heard. 23-year-old Melissa Cross, from Merthyr Tydfil, died by suicide, a coroner ruled. The care worker died on September 25, 2023, at the Golden Sun, a four-star hotel in the resort town of Kalamaki, Pontypridd Coroners' Court heard. Coroner Kerrie Burge said: "There had been no previous indications that Melissa would harm herself but Melissa had sent a goodbye message to her family explaining her thoughts and intentions." The coroner added: "On the balance of probabilities it is more likely than not that Melissa intended to take her own life by her actions." Ms Cross was born in Merthyr Tydfil and was a resident of the town at the time of her death, the court heard. Why journalists cover inquests and why it's crucial that we do Reporting on an inquest can be one of the hardest types of stories a journalist can write. More often than not, they are emotionally charged proceedings attended by grief-stricken people who are desperate for answers. Sometimes, inquests can seem quite clinical due to a coroner's need to remain impartial and level-headed so that they can draw a conclusion from desperately sad events. As painful as these proceedings are for those who have lost a loved one, the lessons that can be learned from inquests can go a long way to saving others' lives. Families are often surprised - and sometimes angry - when they see a reporter in attendance. Understandably they worry the nature of their loved one's death will be sensationalised and that a news story will forever tarnish their memory. Responsible and ethically minded journalists will do what they can to report inquests sensitively, while not shying away from the often upsetting facts. It is vital that the public don't forget that inquests are a type of judicial inquiry; they are after all held in a coroner's court. The press has a legal right to attend inquests and has a responsibility to report on them as part of their duty to uphold the principle of 'open justice'. But in doing so journalists must follow the guidance provided by the Independent Press Standards Organisation and set out in Editors' Code of Conduct. It's a journalist's duty to make sure the public understands the reasons why someone has died and to make sure their deaths are not kept secret. An inquest report can also clear up any rumours or suspicion surrounding a person's death. But most importantly of all, an inquest report can draw attention to circumstances which may stop further deaths from happening. Inquests are not criminal courts - there is no prosecution or defence - they are fact-finding tribunals which seek to answer four key questions: Who is the person who died? Where did they die? When did they die? How did they die? They do not apportion blame. Once these questions are answered a coroner will be able to record a conclusion. The wider lessons that can be learned from an inquest can have far-reaching consequences - but if journalists do not attend them how can the public be made aware? The harsh reality is they can't. Coroners often do not publish the results of an inquest. Should journalists shy away from attending inquests then an entire arm of the judicial system - and numerous others who need to answer vital questions - is not held to account. Inquests can often prompt a wider discussion on serious issues, the most recent of these being mental health and suicide. Editors actively ask and encourage reporters to speak to the family and friends of a person who is the subject of an inquest. Their contributions help us create a clearer picture of the person who died and also provides the opportunity to pay tribute to their loved one. Often families do not wish to speak to the press and of course that decision has to be respected. However, as has been seen by many brilliant campaigns run by newspapers and websites up and down the country, the input of a person's family and friends can make all the difference in helping to save others. Without the attendance of the press at inquests questions will remain unanswered, debates unargued and lives lost. For confidential support the Samaritans can be contacted for free around the clock 365 days a year on 116 123.
