Death, suicide and death threats

Drugs death suspect Craig Wallis has been found dead. Mr Wallis, 37, from Herne Bay, was arrested in connection with the death of Bay man Mark Creed. Mr Creed died of a drugs overdose in a house in Claremont Street on Saturday, March 17.

After being released on bail by police, Mr Wallis checked himself into a mental health ward at Ashford's William Harvey Hospital. But the diabetic walked out without his insulin on Wednesday, April 11. His body was discovered in Sweetwillow Wood behind the hospital last Saturday morning.

Mr Wallis had been expected to face Canterbury magistrates on Friday, May 11, to answer a charge of supplying a controlled drug. Kent Police spokesman Lesley Miller said:

"Formal identification has not yet taken place but the death is not being treated as suspicious."

The body was named locally as that of Mr Wallis. Hospital spokesman Adrian Lowther said:

"We would like to offer our condolences to the family of Mr Wallis. We are undertaking a review of this case but the matter is now in the hands of the coroner and we cannot comment further at this stage."

In a further twist in the double-death inquiry, homeless man Steve Williamson, 44, claimed he had received death threats. Mr Williamson, who has been living in a shack in woods at Herne, said:

"I took one of the same pills with Mark. We were on the seafront and popped them at the same time. I nearly died and was in hospital with an overdose. When I heard Mark had died, I told police about the suspect drugs. We were given them by two men. Now I've heard I am being blamed for the deaths of both Mark and Craig. I don't know why. The word on the street is that I have seven days to leave town."

Police said they were taking the threat seriously. Mr Williams, a self-confessed former alcoholic now accompanied by his dog Jack, added:

"If you find me dead on a pavement you'll know why. But I'm not running. This is my home. I've gone clean and found God. I believe I've escaped death this many times for a purpose. Maybe God wants me to be an angel and help those like myself who have fallen through the cracks."

Friday, May 04, 2012 Herne Bay Times

Comments

[eileen wallis]

I would like to point out that as Craig Wallis' mother the story printed is not entirely correct. It portrays my son as an evil drug pusher when he was himself a victim!! I am keen to hear from anyone else that has lost a relative to suicide. I am also interested in anyone who has had a bad experience with a mental health unit. Craig was ill and had been for a very long time and didn't get the help he needed when he needed it.

I will never forgive the NHS, staff at the Arundel unit in Ashford for letting him walk out and hanging himself, staff at Kent and Canterbury hospital for assessing his mental state and saying there was nothing wrong with him a couple of days prior, Folkestone police for dicharging him onto the streets after he scalded himself with a mug of boiling hot tea and tearing his hair out, doctors from Herne Bay Parkview surgery, for failing to help Craig when he asked for help, he tried to hang himself that same day.

I would like to join together people whoem are victims and have lost loved ones to this terrible illness, I would like to see if there is anyone else out there who feels the same as me to see if we can do something to highlight the plight of people in mental turmoil. Please e-mail me in confidence.