Peter Stafieri (U.K.)

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Peter Stafieri (U.K., 1995)

A Barrow policeman killed himself when pressure from the Child Support Agency got too much for him, an inquest heard. Coroner lan Smith recorded a verdict of suicide on Detective Constable Staffieri (38) who was found hanging in the garage of his home.

Mrs Angela Staffieri, the dead mans wife, said he was in constant contact with the CSA and the heavy payments he had to make to support his children "made his life a misery". Mr and Mrs Staffieri have two children of their own but he was also making payments to the two children from his previous marriage. Mrs Staffieri said her husband received a letter from the CSA saying he could reduce his payments by £40. He took this to mean £40 a week but on the day he died, August 1, he had a second letter which said it was £40 a month. It was the final straw.

Mrs Staffieri said: "He felt he was banging his head against a brick wall. He said he was fed up trying to sort it out. He felt he could not make ends meet because of the amounts the CSA were asking for. When he received the second letter he said there was nothing we could do and he said he was going to move in with a friend and try to support me - he felt that was the only way. I went to settle the children down and when I came downstairs I felt something was wrong. Everything was locked up... thats when I found him."

The coroner said: "He had financial difficuities and felt the CSA were making his life a misery. He didn't feel he was getting anywhere. The second letter caused him great distress and was the final straw. It's clear beyond any doubt that he intended to take his own life."

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Posted 2006 09 04