A grandfather set fire to himself at
home after amassing hidden debts of more than £150,000 and keeping them hidden
from his wife of three decades, an inquest heard yesterday.
Ibrahim Omar, 57, of Bolton, Greater
Manchester, put family photos and other personal items in his daughter's car
and left the car keys outside his house before setting himself alight indoors.
The former petrol station cashier
suffered ‘95 to 97 per cent full thickness burning and charring’ to his whole
body and was declared dead at the scene, the inquest at Bolton Coroner's Court
heard.
He had kept his debts hidden from Mehrun, his wife of more than 35 years, and their three children, it was revealed. Loans and credit cards were thought to be the reason behind the debt.
Mr Omar’s body was discovered by
firefighters in the front bedroom of his semi-detatched house in August and a
post-mortem test revealed that he had been alive when the fire started.
Fireman Anthony Wilkinson said a blast had shattered the bedroom door and pushed the bedroom's walls outwards. He said believed it was ‘self-immolation’ - that Mr Omar lit the fire himself.
He was a family-orientated man who
was head of the household and wanted to look after his family, statements read
out from relatives said.
Mr Omar was suffering from depression and had told his GP that he had trouble sleeping due to his anxiety over money - but Mr Omar’s family were unaware of the extent of his illness.
'He was a much-loved father and
grandfather and will be sadly missed'
Ibrahim Omar's son, Imran
His son, Imran Omar, said: ‘It has
been a massive shock to the family and the community. He was a very popular,
happy and enthusiastic man. He was a much-loved father and grandfather and will
be sadly missed.’
Deputy coroner Alan Walsh recorded a
verdict that Mr Omar took his own life while suffering from depression. He said
his debts were made for the family's benefit but had escalated out of control.
Culled from
dailymail.co.uk
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