A decorated sailor and Afghan war hero killed himself because he ‘could not get past’ the loss of his ‘dream home’ after a row over a low fence he feared would prevent his children getting privacy in the garden, an inquest has heard.
Petty Officer Rob Minshull was furious after a developer refused to sell them a £375,000 property in Cornwall after they complained about its 4ft fence, which was 2ft lower than other homes on the development.
They were concerned it would allow people a nearby Tesco store in Helston to see their young daughters playing in the paddling pool in the garden. The family claimed the property was then withdrawn from sale and later put back on the market for £75,000 more.
His wife Kerry said Rob ‘could not get past our losing the house’. The collapse of a house purchase in 2021 sent him further down a depression spiral, including about rising mortgage rates and the cost of living crisis.
Mrs Minshull told the inquest into his death in Truro: ‘This had a huge effect on Rob. He started drinking more and he could not get past the way we lost the house.’
Rob and Kerry Minshull lost their dream home over a fence and the veteran sailor never recovered from the stress, an inquest heard
A developer refused to sell Rob and Kerry Minshull their ‘forever home’ in Helston, Cornwall, when they complained the 4ft fence was 2ft too low. He would later take his own life
The couple were concerned that the lower fence at the four-bed new build would allow people from a nearby Tesco to see their two young daughters playing in the paddling pool in the garden. The developer allegedly took it off the market for £375,000 and returned it to the market at £450,000
In December 2021 the 42 year old and his wife and two daughters later moved to another property in Helston, Cornwall, but he considered it to be ‘second best’.
Kerry told the coroner: ‘Rob was the life and soul, everyone loved him. He was a brilliant husband and father and would do anything for anyone.’
Kerry had earlier said the family had spent thousands of pounds on fees and goods for the four bedroomed new home.
Kerry, 41, said at the time: ‘It’s just broken my family completely. I’d never wish this to happen to anybody.’
Rob lost sleep and his appetite and was drinking more alcohol as a result of losing the house. In October 2022 Kerry found Rob hanged in the garage of that house early one morning.
An inquest in Truro, Cornwall, heard Rob was also suffering with other stresses.
The aircraft engineer, who had joined the Royal Navy aged 17 and had served for 25 years on ships including HMS Illustrious and served in Afghanistan in 2009-10, was offered a promotion to Chief Petty Officer which he did not want.
He was concerned about his children and the rising cost of living and mortgage rates and he told his teaching assistant wife about recent suicide attempts.
After losing the house, Mr Minshull also become increasingly worried about rising interest rates and the cost of living crisis
Rob, pictured with his wife and children, had been prescribed anti-depressants by Navy doctors but he feared, wrongly, that he would be medically discharged out of the senior service – and so he stopped taking them
Mr and Mrs Minshull spent thousands of pounds on solicitor fees, mortgage costs and custom wardrobes and blinds when it fell through
He had been prescribed anti-depressants by Navy doctors but he feared, wrongly, that he would be medically discharged out of the senior service – and so he stopped taking them and was allowed back to his responsible job on aircraft engineering.
On the night he killed himself, he had told Kerry that he loved her which she reciprocated and he went back to bed. But at 4am Kerry woke and Rob was not in bed – and she found him in the garage.
Captain Stuart Irwin, Commanding Officer of the Royal Naval Air Station at Culdrose, Cornwall, where Rob was based for most of his career, told the inquest an investigation was held.
He said most people who are referred to the service’s medical board are not discharged from the Navy – but their perception of that may be different.
He said close friends and colleagues in Rob’s small unit did not see any change in his behaviour and were shocked by his death.
He said he had spoken about the failed house purchase and rising living costs but said of his comrades ‘none of them saw it coming’.
The assistant coroner Emma Hillson recorded a suicide conclusion.
She said the house issue hugely impacted on Rob whose sleep and eating was badly affected and he drank more.
She said his wife Kerry encouraged him to get help – and heard him on the phone to the Samaritans six weeks before he died – but he refused.
- For anyone who needs help, Samaritans can be contacted for free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.
