Prevention of Future Deaths Report: Thomas Kingston (9 January 2025)

Summary

Mr Thomas Henry Robin Kingston was a 45 year old man who was visiting his parents in Kemble Gloucestershire for the weekend. He had recently been experiencing anxiety, but had not expressed any suicidal ideation.

On Sunday 25 February 2024 after lunch he began to unload his car, and prepared to return to London. Between approximately 1700-1800 hours he removed a shotgun from his vehicle which he had recently borrowed from his father for a shoot. He then accessed an annex attached to his parent’s property. Within a locked bathroom he self inflicted a gun shot to the head, and sustained injuries incompatible with life. He was subsequently found by his father. He was pronounced deceased at 1854 hours by attending police, who confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

Intent remains unclear as the deceased was suffering from adverse effects of medications he had recently been prescribed.

The medical cause of death was 1A Traumatic wound to head.                 

Content

Matters of Concern

• Whether there is adequate communication of the risks of suicide associated with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medications, and
• Whether the current guidance to persist with SSRI medication or switch to an alternative SSRI medication is appropriate when no benefit has been achieved and/ or especially when any adverse side effects are being experienced.