Tube tragedies for families

Published: 24 September, 2010
by JOSIE HINTON

TWO men took their lives by jumping onto the tracks at Angel tube station within the space of four days.

Investment banker Noel O’Sullivan, 34, of Canonbury Street, Canonbury, died after jumping under a train at lunchtime on June 16, three days after starting a new job in the City.

Four days later on June 20 waiter Charles Velu, 24, made his way to the same south-bound Northern line platform, where he died at around 7.30am.

St Pancras Coroner’s Court heard on Wednesday how two families have been left devastated by the deaths.

The court was told Mr Sullivan, who had worked around the world during a successful career as a banker, had been suffering from anxiety after being made redundant in 2008 but he seemed to be turning his life around after securing a new job with a successful firm. 

He also stopped taking medication he had been prescribed as he reported feeling better.

His brother, Martin, said: “I saw him a few weeks before his death and he seemed to be extremely good. He had managed to secure a permanent job and had started on the Monday before his death. Things should have been looking up for him at that time. You would think he would have turned a corner.”

However Mr O’Sullivan revealed to his sister that he was anxious about a mix-up with his bank accounts and believed someone was watching him and hacking into his computer.

During his third day at a new job he left the office at lunchtime and made his way to Angel station, where he died of multiple injuries. 

Police were able to identify him after finding bank statements relating to the mix-up in the pocket of his suit.

Four days later Mr Velu was spotted acting strangely on the platform by another passenger.

Piergiorgio Marenghi told the inquest: “He started to become very agitated and was moving in a strange way. I was trying to check the train timetable and look at him at the same time. Then, as I turned around, I saw him jump onto the track and run into the tunnel. I shouted to him ‘what are you doing?’ but he didn’t turn back.”

Mr Velu was described as “deeply philosophical” but showed no signs of depression, the court heard. He had gone to Angel station after leaving a party at 6am. Alcohol was found in his blood but not at dangerously high levels.

Coroner Selina Lynch returned a verdict of suicide “while the balance of his mind was affected” in Mr O’Sullivan’s case and a verdict of suicide in Mr Velu’s case.