A MAN who died after “pushing himself off” a town centre car park was in constant pain, an inquest heard. 

The hearing held at the Basingstoke Magistrates Court on Tuesday was told how Owen Paul Henwood suffered with “constant phantom pains” in his right leg. 

Twenty years ago the 61-year-old was in a motorcycle accident which resulted in him having to have his right leg amputated above the knee. 

Mr Henwood’s son, Daryl, told North East Hampshire coroner Andrew Bradley that his father would get phantom pains, but they would sometimes be manageable, other times his father would be in “a lot of pain”. 

The inquest heard how on March 22, 2019, Mr Henwood was sat on the ledge of The Malls shopping centre car park, in Alencon Link, before jumping off. 

Daryl told the hearing that his father had never expressed suicidal tendencies, but in the period leading up to his death the ‘pains’ from his leg were so bad that he “felt like he was dying”. 

In a statement read out to the inquest from witness Callum Driscoll it said that he was driving into The Malls car park when we saw a man on crutches in conversation with a woman. 

Mr Driscoll, said he noted the man’s crutches were on the floor and that the man was sat on the ledge on the car park.

Mr Driscoll wound down his window and asked “you alright mate?” to which Mr Henwood responded “no, I’m going, bye” and pushed himself from the ledge down to the ground below. 

The inquest heard that emergency services arrived on the scene to perform CPR on Mr Henwood who had a suspected broken neck and chest. 

He was later pronounced dead from the extent of his chest injuries. 

Coroner Mr Bradley, gave the conclusion of suicide, he added: “It is a sad case that he just not hack it anymore. Leaving himself with no real alternative.” 

At the time of Mr Henwood’s death  a number of tributes were posted on the Gazette’s Facebook page.

One friend Dawn Griffiths wrote: “He was a fantastic man with a heart of gold and a true inspiration to everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. 

“Only so much pain one can take. He is now pain free.”