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Under-pressure teacher set himself alight
6:34pm Wednesday 22nd February 2012
A TEACHER who felt under pressure to get good exam results set himself on fire in the school car park, an inquest heard.
Science teacher and dad-of-two David Charlesworth, 43, managed to get home and summon help after he set himself alight in the car park of Rossett School in Harrogate on May 11 last year.
He died a day later in hospital after suffering 79 per cent burns to his body, Harrogate Coroner's Court was told today. Items at the scene included a pile of burnt clothes, rucksack and note.
The hearing heard he felt stressed that some of his students would not achieve good grades.
The court was told he suffered from bouts of depression over three years, which often coincided with "peaks of workload" when A-level students were sitting exams.
He once feared he would be "massively disappointed" with some coursework marks, which turned out to be unfounded.
The school's head Patricia Hunter told the hearing that Mr Charlesworth had "very high standards".
She told the court he never wanted to let anyone down and described him as a "fantastic" teacher who had no reason to be disappointed.
His wife Jennifer, a fellow science teacher, said her husband would take coursework on holiday and said:"He felt responsible for it all. He felt under pressure that the children get the grades and the pressure was only his and that wasn't comfortable with him."
The court was told Mr Charlesworth, who had a four-year-old son and five-month-old daughter, went to see his GP who initially treated him with medication before referring him to a mental health team in March 2011.
The court was told there was a waiting time of between two and six weeks but Mr Charlesworth was never assessed and may have benefited from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
The GP surgery contacted the mental health team four times to see what was happening.
Alan Coates, a manager with North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust (PCT), helped produce a report which suggested CBT could have long-term benefits but was not a "quick cure" for Mr Charlesworth.
Coroner Geoff Fell said Mr Coates had not met Mr Charlesworth and said his conclusions amounted to "speculation and conjecture".
He said he would write to the chief executive of the PCT with his concerns.
Mrs Charlesworth described her husband as easy going and approachable, who if he felt a colleague was stressed would leave a chocolate bar in their pigeon hole.
She recalled speaking to him after the incident in hospital, where he spoke of being "stuck".
She added: "He said he felt enormous pressure and he couldn't find a way out. He persisted in the belief that as a teacher he wasn't up to standard and that he had a responsibility towards the children, their grades and the parents of those children."
She said in the past she had spoken to him about CBT and he realised it was not a cure but "extremely beneficial treatment".
The coroner recorded a verdict that Mr Charlesworth took his own life and expressed concerns about the mental health trust’s dealings with Mr Charlesworth.
He said: "In my opinion, the local health trust fell far below what is expected, what the GP expected and what Dave expected."
He said he could not be sure the outcome would have been different had Mr Charlesworth met the mental health team, but said the chances would be “greatly increased".
Mrs Charlesworth, 36, thanked the medics who tried to save her husband's life.
She added: "Suicide is not a crime or a sign of selfishness. My husband was ill. He has left us bereft. We as a family miss him dearly and always will."