A CONVICTED paedophile committed suicide by jumping off a Ramsgate cliff, an inquest has found.

A witness told how Geoffrey Clarke, from Elmwood West in Whitstable, calmly parked his Jaguar car, saw that one wheel was on the curb so re-parked it, before walking away on March 12.

A short while later his body was found at the bottom of a cliff at Eastern Undercliff near George VI Park.

In 1998 Mr Clarke was convicted of five counts of indecent assault on a male, two counts of indecency with a child and one count of taking indecent photographs. He was sentenced to three years in prison, was reduced on appeal.

Coroner Rebecca Cobb heard that Mr Clarke was the defendant in another court case, in London, and his defence case was due to start on the day he died. Miss Cobb heard that he faced a long prison sentence if convicted.

Mr Clarke’s body was found by jogger Clive Stow. In a statement read at the inquest Mr Stow said: “I went for a jog along the beach and saw what I thought was a black bin bag of rubbish thrown from the cliff, but as I got closer I saw it was a body.

“I saw a man on the beach walking his dog. I asked if he had a phone and he didn’t so we walked along the promenade and found a man who had a phone.

“We called the police and 15 to 20 minutes later they arrived.”

PC Brett Howath was the first police officer on the scene. He told Miss Cobb that is was obvious Mr Clarke was dead when he saw him but he called the duty nurse to confirm it. PC Howath cordoned off the area and waited for other officers.

Cyril Clarke confirmed his son’s details and told Miss Cobb that Ramsgate was one of his son’s favourite places.

"We used to have fish and chips in the car park near where his body was found,” he said.

Miss Cobb recorded a verdict of suicide.