‘Heartbroken’ sports therapist Jean-Claude Madrange took own life

Published: 06 August, 2010
by JOSIE HINTON

A SPORTS massage therapist who had been selected to work with the Great British  Olympic boxing squad took his own life, an inquest heard.

French-born Jean-Claude Madrange, who ran a successful sports injury clinic, was found hanging in his home in Newington Green Road, in Canonbury, on May 8.

Police found the 48-year-old after being called by family in France who had been unable to contact him for several days. He had been dead for some time.

St Pancras Court was told on Tuesday that Mr Madrange was struggling to cope with the breakdown of his civil partnership and had tried to commit suicide by taking an overdose one month earlier.

He was taken to Homerton Hospital but was discharged under the care of the North Islington Crisis Team.

Mr Madrange’s civil partner Steven King, who spoke to him by telephone from his home in New Delhi following the overdose, told the court: “I was aware through friends that he had been feeling lonely and mentally disturbed for several months due to the breakdown of our relationship. When I phoned the hospital he was very unwell. I asked them not to release him because I was so concerned about his mental state.”

Mr Madrange was visited by community psychiatric nurse Anouska Khorramian-Pour on April 14 after he had returned home.

She said: “My general assessment of him was that he was quite heart-broken, for want of a more technical term. 

“He was in a significant amount of debt and was going through a painful break-up from his civil partner.” 

Mr Madrange received further treatment from the team until they deemed him to be ready for discharge a week later, on April 21.

“He was much brighter in mood,” said Ms Khorramian-Pour, who visited him that day. “He was talking about the future and about registering with a GP. He was no longer tearful and seemed much calmer. Although he still had suicidal feelings the intention wasn’t there.” 

Mr Madrange was discharged with a week’s prescription for anti-depressant medication once it was established that he had registered with a GP. 

The court heard that a week later a friend received a distressed phone-call during in which he said he had run out of medication and was again feeling suicidal.

Recording a verdict of suicide, coroner Dr Andrew Reid said: “I am sure he acted voluntarily and deliberately to end his own life. This was not a cry for help.”