Tragic death of Dan Kirby was suicide, coroner rules

Struggles with his mental health and the demise of one of his businesses were cited among causes for motor retailer and racer Dan Kirby to take his own life, an inquest has determined.

His father Kevin Kirby told Chelmsford Coroner’s Court last week that his generous son Dan “was helping other people right up to the very end”, illustrating his generous nature, “and yet the one person who needed that was sadly himself”.

Dan Kirby, founder of Trade Price Cars in Wickford, Essex and co-founder of brokerage Octane Finance, tragically died in September. The businessman and part-time racing driver, who had competed in the British Touring Car Championships in the past, was found unresponsive in the grounds of Hyde Hall near Chelmsford just a month before his 38th birthday.

He was rushed by air ambulance paramedics to hospital, where some of the father of two’s family were able to be with him while he remained on a ventilator before he sadly died the following morning.

News of his sudden death prompted a river of tributes from fellow used car dealers and motor racing figures.

A post mortem previously determined that his injuries were consistent with hanging.

The inquest heard he had struggled with addiction in the past and was receiving private psychiatric and mental health support, and coroner Michelle Brown said Kirby was “struggling” after the liquidation of one of his businesses. She concluded that his death was suicide.

A voluntary liquidator had been appointed to Trade Price Cars in Essex a week before Kirby’s death.

• Organisations such as motor industry charity Ben (Helpline 08081 311 333 and website ben.org.uk) and CALM (Helpline 0800 585858 and website calmzone.net) and Samaritans (Helpline 116 123 and website samaritans.org) are willing to listen and to help whenever someone is struggling or feeling they can no longer cope.