A DETECTIVE sergeant jumped off the roof of Folkestone Police Station when the pressures of work became too much, an inquest was told.

Brian Bennett, 40, of Fergusson Close, Hythe, climbed out of a window on Deecember 12 last year to get onto the roof and was seen running off the top of the building. He died of multiple injuries.

Coroner Rachel Redman said Det Sgt Bennett was a "dedicated police officer who put his job before all other considerations, including his health and his ability to cope".

Det Sgt Malcolm Wilkinson, who saw his colleague jump while having a cigarette on the roof-top of a neighbouring building, had twice called out to ask Sgt Bennett if he was all right.

Sat Wilkinson said: "He looked at me with glazed eyes and 'said no, I'm not'. He then turned on his heel and ran towards the edge of the building. It was a deliberate act."

The inquest heard that the Scottish born officer, who was a father of two, had found coping with work increasingly difficult. He had worked for some time on Operation Moonstone, the Kent Police investigation into the shooting of an unarmed man by Sussex Police and had then found it difficult to resume his normal police activities.

He had failed an inspector's exam which had "devastated" him and it was suggested he joined Special Branch at the Bouverie House police station in Folkestone to broaden his experience.

However, Det Sgt Bennett found the move difficult and could not work the two computer systems in the department. His wife of four years, Margaret, told the hearing her husband had become stressed and had difficulty sleeping at night.

But he was reluctant to take time off work. She said: "For him to be off with stress would have been a stigma to him." She said he had discussed taking his own life. After a journey to Rainham he had said that as he drove along the motorway he had looked at every bridge and considered if he should drive into one.

After joining Special Branch she said: "He felt he had been thrown in and felt he was floundering." In December he was asked to go on a national Special Branch course but felt "overwhelmed" by a mountain of coursework he had to get through first.

His wife had wanted to make him an appointment to see the doctor. Mrs Bennett told the coroner: "He begged me not to. He said if I did it would push him over the edge. He was too proud to admit he couldn't cope."

Det Con Robert Smith had worked late with Det Sgt Bennett the night before he took his own life. The constable said his colleague had made a mistake and wanted to stay at the station to rectify it.

Det Con Smith said: "He said he felt he'd overlooked something and had not done an adequate job. When we were alone he said he was having problems understanding the role he had taken on."

In a statement read out at court, Supt David McCann praised Det Sgt Bennett. He said: "He was one of my best and most able supervisors.

He gave me no indication he was having difficulties in his new role.

"He was a highly motivated professional who set himself very high standards. I shall always regret that he was unable to share his problems with me."

The coroner extended her sympathies to Mrs Bennett and Det Sgt Bennett's colleagues. She said: "He set himself very high standards and tragically it was these high standards and commitment which led to his death. He was a well respected and much loved colleague."

Verdict: suicide.leapt