A LONDON woman, with a long history of mental health problems and suicide attempts, killed herself after boarding the ferry to Ireland, an inquest heard last Thursday, February 23.

Jennifer Massi, 24, of Dagmar Court, Cromwell Road, London, died on December 2 of last year.

Miss Massi had a long-standing history of repeated suicide attempts, with the first when she was 15; including threats she would stand in London’s North Circular road, and claims she had drunk half a litre of bleach.

The inquest heard she had been deeply affected by the loss of her brother, killed in “a random act of violence” after attending a party.

The inquest also heard she was troubled by the loss of sheltered accommodation.

Coroner’s Officer for Dyfed-Powys Police Jeremy Davies said, early on December 2, police were made aware Congo-born Miss Massi, traveling to Dublin from London by coach and ferry via Wexford, was missing.

A multi-agency search, including the Irish Garda was launched.

CCTV footage at Pembroke port showed Miss Massi board the ferry, and was later seen smoking a cigarette on an outside deck by the coach driver.

Her coat with personal items, including her phone, were later found on the deck by a lorry driver.

At 10.32am that day the coastguard was alerted that a body had been found on the banks of the Cleddau, some two miles from Milford Haven.

Her body was airlifted to Withybush aerodrome, and she was declared dead at 10.43am.

A report by consultant psychiatrist Dr Ruth Kloocke of the London-based Haringay Intervention Service, stated Miss Massi had been diagnosed as suffering treatment resistant paranoid schizophrenia, with a long history of erratic behaviour

Miss Massi had been placed in foster care at the age of 15 following a suicide attempt, and had a long history of self-neglect, made worse following her brother’s death.

In October 2016, Miss Massi, who lived alone, was offered accommodation with 24-hour support, and was told she could move in by December 5.

However, on December 1 she was told the sanctuary housing was no longer available to her, which had a “devastating effect,” and was reported to have started a fire in the hours after hearing the news, before fleeing to her father’s home.

She later claimed she was leaving for the Congo with her father.

Dr Klooke stated: “It seems possible to me that Miss Massi acted on suicidal thoughts after she stopped connecting with the mental health organisations and family on December 1.”

A post-mortem report by Dr Daniel Howser gave the cause of her death as drowning.

In reaching a conclusion of suicide, HM Coroner for Pembrokeshire Mark Layton said: “Miss Massi had a history of mental health problems and was deeply affected by the death of her brother, and she was troubled by accommodation issues; she has taken deliberate steps to end her life.”