A popular teenager found hanged in woods had earlier contemplated suicide, an inquest heard today.

Jason Pettey, 19, had thought about jumping off a crane in London.

He had also kept a notebook in which he said life would be better without him.

Jason, an ex Homewood School pupil, of Ashford Road, St Michael's, hanged himself from a tree behind Kent & East Sussex Railway.

Acting Detective Sergeant Julian Kyte told the hearing that in December 2014, Jason had been in London and had threatened to jump from a crane.

He was in contact with a mental health team in London but declined their services.

DS Kyte referred to a notebook which Jason’s father, Vince, had found after his death.

In it, Jason talked of feeling low and that life would be better without him.

In another notebook, Jason wrote in April, 2014 about struggling to find work.

The officer said he had interviewed a friend of Jason’s, Molly Miller.

She said about a month before Jason died he had expressed feelings for her which were not reciprocated. She said she wanted to remain friends.

Jason’s father said he had not given him any concerns when growing up.

In 2004, he had an issue with a girl at school and injured himself which he “milked” until the problem was resolved.

Jason worked at the Original Factory Shop, in Tenterden, and also did a cleaning job at St Micheal’s Primary School with his father. He had also done a radio and music course at Platform 5 in Ashford.

The weekend before he died. Jason was at home with his brother, Glen, and his father.

“It was one of the nicest weekends I have had for some time,” said Mr Pettey. “I heard the boys laughing likes idiots upstairs. It was a lovely weekend.”

On Monday, March 9, Jason went to work at the Original Factory Shop and met his father to clean the school at 6pm.

They walked home together and Jason said he would get a Chinese takeaway in Tenterden. Only afterwards did Mr Pettey discover that the Chinese was not open on a Monday.

The next morning he sent Jason a text but did not get a reply.

Assistant coroner Christine Freedman read a letter from Jason’s GP.

In it Dr Neil Pillai sad they had talked about his financial worries in September, 2014.

In December, Dr Pillai received a letter from St Thomas’s Hospital in London saying that Jason had threatened to self harm.

He wrote to Jason asking to see him but did not get a reply.

Pathologist Dr Nicola Chaston gave the cause of death as suspension.

Mrs Freedman recorded a verdict of suicide.

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