http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2324769/Father-financial-worries-owed-payday-loan-firms-1-600-set-bombarded-phone-calls-text-messages.htmlFather with financial worries who owed payday loan firms £1,600 set himself on fire after being bombarded with phone calls and text messages
Antony Breeze, 36, from Bolton, died saying: 'I've had enough'
Investigations revealed he owed cash to several loan companies
Inquest heard he often had to borrow money to make ends meet
In the hour before he died, Mr Breeze received texts from three of them
By Leon Watson
PUBLISHED: 10:22, 15 May 2013 | UPDATED: 13:53, 15 May 2013
A father struggling to cope with mounting debts to payday loan companies died after setting himself on fire, an inquest has heard.
In the hours before his death, Antony Breeze received text messages from three different loan firms reminding him he owed them £1,600.
On the day he ended his life, the 36-year-old told his girlfriend, Amanda Lowe, that he was buying petrol for her father's lawnmower.
Minutes later he went to a secluded alleyway near his home in Horwich, Bolton, where he set himself on fire.
A man who tried to help him told the inquest that before being put into the ambulance Mr Breeze said to him 'I've had enough. I'm in debt'.
He was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, but died a few hours later after suffering burns over 73 per cent of his body.
Miss Lowe said: 'He had phone calls all night on Thursday night, his phone never stopped ringing, he wouldn't tell me who it was. He went into the bathroom, I didn't know who it was.'
She added: 'I can't understand why he did it.'
The inquest heard Mr Breeze owed money to several lenders, including Keyes Whitlock and Co, Mobile Money Ltd, 247 Moneybox.com, Cash Genie and Valour Loans.
After his death, the companies' letters were sent to his fathers home demanding payments.
Mr Breeze worked six days a week to try and earn enough to pay off the debts while also providing for Miss Lowe and their six-year-old daughter, Amy.
However, he often had to borrow money to make ends meet and, despite help from his father-in-law, he lost weight and went to see a debt counsellor.
The inquest also heard he was worried about funding a future wedding and possibly another baby. Mr Breeze's sister Caroline Hedley also said he appeared worried by possible redundancy and renovating his home.
She added: 'He worked very hard - he worked six days a week, overtime and did as much housework as he could after work. We were also aware that he had some debts.
'He said the rug in the house had fleas and I suggested he buy a new one. But he indicated he couldn't afford one. One day I had found two lamp shades which matched their decor in a charity shop.
'He said to Mandy, "See there's nothing wrong with shopping in charity shops, we don't have to have the best of everything". I sensed there was a bit of tension concerning money.'
'The weight-loss struck me hard, he must have lost about a stone in weight within two weeks. When I asked him if he had been trying, he said "yes a little bit" so I just thought he was being conscious about what he was eating.'
The hearing was told how Mr Breeze's father Alan had asked him if he was OK with money a few days before his death, to which he replied, 'We're struggling but we will manage.'
Ms Hedley said he was the sort of person who wouldn't want to trouble anyone - but he never shared any suicidal thoughts.
Mr Breeze's girlfriend Miss Lowe said the couple had some minor arguments throughout the week, but they had been resolved.
On the morning of his death, Mr Breeze played with his daughter at breakfast, then went to their their local corner shop to top up their electricity card and withdraw £30 from a cash machine. He returned home but later in the morning went out shopping again.
Miss Lowe said: 'He was fine in the morning. My daughter and I were having our breakfast he said to me I'm going to Iceland are you coming? We can all go together and I said: "but we have no money."
'He said, "well we have some" and he just walked out. He had been fine all week. He was quiet on Friday morning.'
After Mr Breeze after left the house, Miss Lowe then called him to find out when he would be home. During the short conversation, Mr Breeze said he was going for a walk.
'He answered and I asked him where he was. He said he was going for a walk to clear his head. I didn't ask what was wrong,' she added.
The hearing was told Mr Breeze was seen by two garage workers as he walked down to a secluded track.
Fifteen minutes later screams were heard and Mr Breeze emerged from the area in a fireball, with electrician Paul Tunnah bravely putting himself at risk by attempting to extinguish the flames which engulfed his body.
Mr Tunnah, who was also seriously burned, said: 'The flames were high and vibrant. I took my top off to try put out the flames. It is human life and that is what I did.
'He was conscious throughout - from when I first saw him to leaving in the ambulance.
'I asked him what had happened and he basically said, "I've had enough. I'm in debt."'
Recording an open verdict, deputy coroner Alan Walsh said: 'I am sure Anthony did the act that caused his death, however I am not sure with regard to his intentions.
'He was a man who worked hard during his life and provided for his family. But he was was a man who himself worried at times about the finances of the family. He was anxious to provide for his family, he was a good man who did provide for his family.
'He was someone who had never previously planned to harm himself will never talked about harming himself and a man who had everything to live for with his partner and daughter - he was looking forward to future as a family unit.
'He was helped with his finances by his family who paid off some debts. He was someone who knew that he had support and help behind him.'
The coroner commended Mr Tunnah, who suffered burns to his chest, arms and hands, for his bravery saying: 'You didn't think of your own safety and went ahead to save someone else causing injuries to yourself.
'The family are very grateful. It is important that people such as you are commended. It was very brave and very courageous.'
After the case Mr Breeze's family said: 'We are all deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic and untimely death of Anthony. He was a warm, friendly, caring and patient man who loved his family very much.
'The lives of those people who loved him will never ever be the same again. He is deeply missed and long remembered by everyone.'
For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch
AGGRESSIVE DEBT COLLECTORS OR A WAY OUT OF MONEY PROBLEMS?
The death of Antony Breeze comes at a time of intense criticism of the payday loans industry.
Last week two payday lenders were ordered to surrender their trading licences after a crackdown by the Office of Fair Trading.
The OFT said that it is also currently investigating three more payday loans firms for bad business practices and they too could be shut down. The OFT could not name them for legal reasons.
The Payday Loan Company Limited – which operates under a number of names including Cashnet and Paydayloans.co.uk - and Anfield Cheque Cashing Centre have both given up their consumer credit licences and will no longer be able to trade.
Last month the consumer body sent letters to 50 leading payday lenders asking them to take immediate action to overhaul their businesses.
The OFT accused firms of failing to conduct adequate assessments to see if applicants can afford loans, failing to explain how payments will be collected, aggressive debt collection techniques and not treating borrowers with sensitivity and patience.
The Citizens Advice Bureau has also accused lenders of pushing people into debt by failing to check that borrowers can afford to repay loan.
In a survey of 1,270 payday loan borrowers, with loans from 87 payday lenders, 65 per cent of people did not get asked about their financial situation when taking it out, according to research by the CAB.
