Ashley Backhouse Death; Wigan Man Found Dead Behind Ex’s House Unable To get Medications
Since last year, 36-year-old Ashley Backhouse had been taking the antidepressant citalopram for anxiety and sadness.
He had not taken the prescription for six weeks, according to his sister Amy Backhouse, who testified at an inquest into his death.
He called Beech Hill Health Practise at 8 a.m. as advised to schedule an appointment, but by the time he got through, none were available, she said.
She stated: “He confided in me that he hadn’t been able to get through to the doctors’ office for an appointment and when he tried to get a repeat prescription over the phone he couldn’t get one, so he wasn’t taking his medication.”
Miss Backhouse claimed that her brother was “usually bubbly, talkative, funny” and always up for an adventure.
She could tell a difference when he wasn’t on anti-depressants because he stopped making “silly jokes and daft one-liners.”
However, Bolton Coroner’s Court was informed by GP Dr. Sonia Gupta that there was “no evidence” that he had attempted to call the clinic.
She claimed that Mr. Backhouse, of Norley, reported feeling extremely depressed and anxious in September 2022. He was also going through a loss and had considered self-harm but decided against it.
After seven days of taking citalopram as instructed, he was issued more prescriptions following evaluations.
This became a repeat prescription, according to Dr. Gupta, and Mr. Backhouse picked up the drug once more on November 28.
However, she was unable to determine if Mr. Backhouse had taken the antidepressants the following month, during a challenging conversation with coroner Simon Nelson.
She suggested that his family get in touch with the clinic to go through his complete medical background.
Mr. Nelson advised Mr. Backhouse’s family to do this and claimed that it was impossible to determine whether the outcome would have been different had he taken the medication or not.
Mr. Backhouse, a driver by profession, was said to have spent the evening of May 25 at the home of his ex-girlfriend Sarah Cato in Orrell, where they conversed and enjoyed a few drinks.
When he wanted to stay the night and she wanted him to depart at 2am, they “disagreed,” but she claimed it “certainly wasn’t a blazing row.”
When she went to bed, she believed Mr. Backhouse had left to visit his mother, but later found his bike and backpack still there.
On May 26, at 4 p.m., Mr. Backhouse’s mother reported him missing after growing worried because she thought he was in “high risk” circumstances.
The following day, after extensive searches, Mr. Backhouse’s body was discovered in a tiny wooded area behind Miss Cato’s residence on Orrell Road.
His location could not be seen from the road, he did not disclose his plans to anyone, and police did not discover any indications of third parties being involved, according to the inquiry.
