Teenager hanged himself after pub argument

Michael Wanjau, 18, followed a friend into the ladies after closing time at the pub in which he was temporarily living in Barnsley, an inquest heard.

But, after he did so, the friend screamed at the teenager, who was working as an odd job man at the time.

Other women present rebuked him, saying: “What are you doing? You shouldn’t be in the ladies. You should know better.”

Mr Wanjau was apparently upset by the women’s remarks and went outside, where the pub licensee – the father of one of his friends – calmed him down.

But Mr Wanjau later went upstairs and was found hanged from the bannister of an outside fire escape at the Sir George’s Arms pub in Wombwell, Barnsley.

Licensee Kevin Murphy removed a belt from around his neck and tried to resuscitate the him while an ambulance was called.

But the Kenyan-born teenager died in hospital a week later from a brain injury which had been caused by hanging.

The Sheffield inquest was told that Mr Wanjau had been living in accommodation above the pub for three months before his death.

Prior to moving into the pub in Hough Lane, he had been homeless and living in a tent in a park.

As Mr Murphy’s son knew Mr Wanjau from playing football, he was invited to stay with them at the pub.

Staff, family and friends were having a drink following a clear-up at the pub in the early hours of December 22 last year after a 
rock band had been playing a gig there.

Mr Murphy told the inquest that it was at about 1.30am that morning when Mr Wanjau became involved in a minor argument which had erupted “over something and nothing”.

His daughter Natasha went to the toilet and Mr Wanjau followed her in.

Natasha and some of the women present shouted at Mr Wanjau and he was “a bit upset” according to the licensee.

“It wasn’t particularly vicious or anything,” Mr Murphy told the inquest.

He said that he then followed Mr Wanjau outside, chatted to him about “bits and bobs” and told him not to worry.

“He may have had a few drinks but he didn’t seem intoxicated, he seemed all right when he went upstairs,” he said.

The bar manager also reassured the teenager, but when Natasha went upstairs 15 minutes later she saw Mr Wanjau’s body on the fire escape.

Mr Murphy pulled him aside, shouted for help and tried to resuscitate him before paramedics arrived but the teenager could not be revived.

The licensee said: “It was absolute horror. There was no prior indication. He wasn’t in a bad mood. It came completely out of the blue.”

Summing up, assistant deputy coroner Siobhan Kelly told the hearing: “A number of friends and family members and staff had finished work and were having a drink together at the end of the night.

“There was a dispute between Mr Wanjau and Mr Murphy’s daughter.

“She went into the ladies and, a short time after, he went in. Natasha was cross about this and shouted at him.

“He appeared to accept it and was spoken to by Mr Murphy.

“He was also worried about where he might be staying for Christmas. He was told not to worry about it and things calmed down.”

The coroner recorded a verdict of suicide.

Following Mr Wanjau’s death, several tributes were left to him online and on social networking sites.

One friend said: “RIP Michael, you was a good friend mate, you will be missed. You are now with the angels.”

Another tribute read: “Michael’s death is one to be remembered by all of his family. We all miss him dearly.”