Chris Eubank has expressed regret at following police officers’ requests to step back from a man who was trying to take his own life last year.
The retired British boxing champion approached Louis Perrina as police were attempting to talk him down from a motorway bridge on the M23 near Crawley, West Sussex, according to The Daily Mail.
An inquest on Wednesday heard officers were trying to pull Perrina, 46, back over the side of the railings during the incident, when Eubank spotted the man and approached him, wanting to help. Police then escorted Eubank from the scene after establishing that he did not know Perrina.
Officers continued to try and get him away from the edge while holding on to his jumper, but Perrina resisted “with extreme force” and fell on to the carriageway, the inquest heard. PC Paul Bubb said there was “nothing else” officers could have done to stop him from jumping.
Mr Perrina’s wife told the inquest her husband was was battling depression after a period of unemployment. “He was always a hard-working man,” she said. “He was a family man who was always very caring.
“As he was not working, he became slightly depressed and drank alcohol quite often. He started getting into trouble with police.”
Claire Eubank, Eubank's manager and wife, told The Independent that her husband would have liked to have done more to help.
@lorrainereaper I adhered to the law as per the police request to step back. On this occasion, I wish I had not complied.
; Christopher Eubank (@ChrisEubank) August 13, 2015
“Chris did stop his car and was willing to try and assist but was asked by the police to abide by the law and step back. Not wishing to infringe or obstruct the law, nor to prevent the police from doing their job, he did as requested.
“In hindsight, he wished he hadn't been so compliant. He would have liked to try and help if he could. Chris' thoughts are with the family."
She also criticised suggestions in reports that a “cryptic” tweet posted by Eubank on Thursday was in some way related to the verdict, dismissing such presumptions as “ridiculous”.
“Anyone can look at Chris' Twitter and see that he posts several quotes every day which could be relevant or seemingly made applicable to everyone, in every situation in life. He is merely trying to inspire and spread kindness through Twitter, not send cryptic messages.”
