Council officer threw himself off 100ft bridge after becoming depressed with authority's 'immoral' decisions

Daily Mail 25th September 2008

Julian Grail: Jumped off the 100ft Tamar Bridge after becoming depressed with 'immoral' decisions being made at Plymouth City Council

A council planning officer threw himself off a 100ft bridge after becoming depressed with the authority's 'immoral' decisions involving 'huge amounts' of taxpayer's money, an inquest heard.

Tormented Julian Grail, 56, plunged to his death after telling his headmistress wife Joanne he could not cope with being 'party to actions that were morally wrong' at Plymouth City Council.

Father-of-two Grail was a performance and planning officer in the council's chief executive's office after previously working in the social services department for more than 20 years.

But this year Julian, who spent many hours doing voluntary youth and community work, began to tell friends and family of his 'grave concerns' about the way the council spent money.

On April 17 he left his wife a note saying he 'could not face the thought of another day in that forlorn place' and jumped off the Tamar Bridge that spans Devon and Cornwall.

Joanne, 51, of Saltash, Cornwall, told an inquest in Truro her husband was a 'tireless community worker' and a 'person of total integrity' who became tormented at his council role.

She said: 'In 2008 Julian began to voice grave concerns about his job.

'He had a very strong sense of fair play and he began to think those principles didn't sit alongside the job he was asked to do.

'He was party to things that he thought were immoral. Sometimes huge amounts of money were involved.

'He was a person of total integrity, immense decency, utter compassion, enormous sensitivity and uncompromising, unflinching principle.

'Over the last few years he struggled to come to terms with aspects of his professional life that he saw as unjust and unfair.'

The hearing heard that Mr Grail was seconded to the chief executive's office in early 2006 and was then employed as a performance and planning officer.

CCTV footage showed a man walking on to the bridge from the western side shortly after midnight and climbing over the railings before jumping.

Mrs Grail, headmistress of Delabole Primary School in Cornwall, read the suicide note left by her husband at 11am in the morning.

It said: 'Please do not take any responsibility for this mess. Take care of these fine children as you always have done.

'I just can't contemplate the thought of another day in that forlorn place.'

Cornwall Coroner Dr Emma Carlyon recorded a verdict of suicide, adding: 'At the time of his death he was suffering from work-related stresses.'

A council spokesman paid tribute but refused to comment on Julian's accusations.

He said: 'Julian was a highly valued and respected member of staff whose tragic loss is still deeply felt by his colleagues and the many friends he made here at the council over the years.'