A popular young footballer took his own life after struggling to come to terms with abuse from his foster family, an inquest has heard.
Marc Palin, 20, left his family home in Red Lane, Breightmet, for the final time just after 12.30pm on May 15 last year.
The former Breightmet Wanderers AFC player was found by people walking in Moses Gate Country Park a few hours later, with emergency services and passers-by trying to help.
Marc was rushed to Royal Bolton Hospital, where doctors had to tell his devastated family that the former care worker would be severely brain damaged if he was able to survive.
Unfortunately, his condition worsened throughout the night, and Marc passed away at 4.20am on May 16.
A hearing at Bolton Coroner’s Court on Thursday afternoon, May 13, almost a year after Marc’s tragic death, heard that the troubled young man had been through a difficult life.
Jennifer Palin, his mum, wept as the court heard of the horrific ordeal Marc’s father had put the pair of them through.
The youngster watched on in horror as his dad brutally attacked his mum, stabbing her 18 times when Marc was just three-years-old.
Whilst his mum recovered from her injuries, Marc was sent to live with a foster family in Cleveland, where he was subjected to abuse of his own, which was revealed years later during a counselling session.
Marc reported the abuse to police, who told him that they couldn’t pursue any convictions because there was insufficient evidence.
He was left “devastated” by the decision, sparking a struggle with depression.
Assistant coroner Simon Nelson said Marc had “opened a can of worms” by acknowledging the abuse, struggling to deal with the incident and feeling like no one believed him.
Marc struggled to manage his mental health for years, being prescribed antidepressants and starting counselling in 2018, before stopping this treatment a short time later.
Karen Dalley, a mental health liaison practitioner at Royal Bolton Hospital, saw Marc at around 2.30pm on May 15 - just over 24 hours before he tried to take his own life.
She said: “He expressed a lot of frustration about past trauma, his experiences in foster care, and frustration around the outcome of the investigation.
“He said he felt empty inside but he was very specific in saying he didn’t want to end his life because he didn’t want to cause his parents any distress.
“My impressions are that this was a chronic problem. I think this was long standing and he wanted help - he was optimistic about his future.”
Mrs Dalley spoke to Marc’s step-dad, Brian Palin, arranged to get a course of antidepressants prescribed and set up several referrals with mental health support groups who could help improve Marc’s wellbeing.
Tragically, Marc continued to struggle, and made the decision to take his own life the next day.
Recording a conclusion of “suicide whilst the balance of his mind was disturbed”, Mr Nelson said: “If only he would have been with someone, if he had been able to verbalise those thoughts we may not have been here today.
“I think that the events from his childhood have been a catalyst and the primary reason for him acting as he did.
“I don’t believe he would have taken his own life had he not been so grievously affected by these events.
“He was only 20 when he died but you have spoken about some very fine qualities.
“You mention how caring he was, how he fought for the underdog - all very impressive traits which I hope he will be remembered for for many a year.”
