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London firefighter who took his own life 'was not bullied'

PA Media Jaden Francois-EspritPA Media
Jaden Francois-Esprit took his own life three weeks after his 21st birthday

A firefighter who died by suicide had "a vivid interior life at odds with the world around him", a coroner has said.

Jaden Francois-Esprit, who was training to be a firefighter at Wembley fire station, died in late August.

His family feared he was being bullied due to his race and being teased for eating Caribbean food, St Pancras Coroner's Court heard.

Colleagues felt the 21-year-old was "bored" and "frustrated" with his job, but did not think he was being bullied.

Recording a verdict of suicide, coroner Mary Hassell said she was concerned that the deterioration of Mr Francois-Esprit's mental health went "undetected by those around him".

The inquest heard Mr Francois-Esprit, from Wapping in east London, made 16 transfer requests to four stations in London in six months before his death.

'Singled out'

The hearing was told he had been advised that his request was unlikely to be granted until he had completed his training workbook - a process that would probably have taken him about eight months.

His mother Linda Francois alleged her son was being "unfavourably singled out because he's an ethnic minority".

She told the hearing that Mr Francois-Esprit "hated" working at Wembley fire station and had said he was being bullied.

London Fire Brigade LFB Commissioner Andy RoeLondon Fire Brigade
London Fire Brigade commissioner Andy Roe said he was saddened to hear of the challenges faced by the firefighter

London Fire Brigade (LFB) colleague Lewis Gunn told the inquest that he had noticed Mr Francois-Esprit had become more withdrawn in the months before he died.

He added: "I knew he didn't feel like we were busy enough - I think that's a realisation that every firefighter comes to after going through training."

Station officer Daniel Green said a quarter of firefighters on Mr Francois-Esprit's watch were not white. He told the inquest: "To hear it reported that he was the only person of colour on the station - I can't understand why he would have thought that it was right to tell his family that."

Speaking after the hearing, LFB commissioner Andy Roe said: "We take any incidences of alleged bullying seriously and have strict policies in place, which all staff are expected to adhere to."