AN “INSPIRATIONAL” martial arts teacher took his own life after being overwhelmed by anxiety and depression.

Marcus Trower was found hanged in his home at Springfield Road, Brighton, by one of his own students.

The 51-year-old had started to have obsessive thoughts and suicidal thoughts, and was admitted into the care of the Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust.

He gave consultant psychiatrist Dr Simon Baker assurances that if he felt low that he would call the trust’s rapid response team.

But after starting his medication and meeting with the doctor twice, he took his own life.

Dr Baker said: “I was extremely disappointed to hear about his death. This is a treatable condition, and you would expect patients to make a full recovery.”

An inquest into Mr Trower’s death resumed at Brighton Coroner’s Court at Woodvale Crematorium this week.

Coroner’s officer Michael Beebee said Mr Trower had been found by a pal who was worried about him from the Brighton Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Exchange on June 6 this year.

The class had noted he seemed subdued, and one member checked on him on June 5 without response. It was only when the same class member attended the home the next day that he could see through the window. But nothing more could be done.

Mr Trower worked as a copy editor and was the author of The Last Wrestlers, a renowned book which explored the sport around the world.

His family members revealed he was taken to the accident and emergency department at a hospital in Surrey when they were concerned by his suicidal thoughts in May.

The Sussex Partnership Trust agreed to assess him within days, and within a week he was seen by Dr Baker.

The doctor noted signs of improvement, but said the thoughts that Mr Trower was experiencing may have been “intolerable”.

After their second meeting, Mr Trower called the emergency rapid response telephone line.

Mr Trower also contacted his sister to tell her he was “in trouble”, but had declined her offer to come to Brighton to help. She said that her brother had fought his depression until the end.

Dr Baker said he would usually expect anti-depressant medication to have started working after two weeks, and been effective after one month, but sadly Mr Trower took his own life.

Coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley said Dr Baker and his team at the trust had acted quickly, but said Mr Trower had probably kept an option to take his own life if he felt he needed to.

She said: “He has made a decision, and that decision has to be respected. It may not be wanted at all, but it has to be respected.”

The coroner recorded a conclusion of suicide.