Caron Flitcroft, 57, was set to become a general manager of a school when she was rejected when after her old employers mistakenly said she had been sacked for ‘gross negligence’
A woman who hanged herself after a bad reference denied her a job left a suicide note for her old bosses accusing them of having ‘blood on their hands’.
Caron Flitcroft, 57, was set to become a general manager of a school when she was rejected when after her old employers mistakenly said she had been sacked for ‘gross negligence.’
When Mrs Flitcroft failed to get another job offer, she wrote a suicide note naming her ex-employers and said: ‘You have blood on your hands – enough is enough, no more.’
She was later found hanged in her garage at her four-bedroom home in Grotton, Greater Manchester, on the 12th anniversary of her husband’s death, an inquest heard.
Police investigating the tragedy discovered she was investigated for possible fraud – but had not been found guilty and was planning to deny wrongdoing.
Mrs Flitcroft – who had a Masters degree and studied French and German – had pursued a ‘successful’ career with a business support company, but began to suffer from work-related stress when her ski instructor husband John died in 2005.
Her new partner Mark Armitage told the hearing in Heywood, Greater Manchester, : ‘Caron had a very fulfilling career. She was a very caring, loving, considerate and selfless person.
‘Nothing was ever too much trouble and she never forgot friends and relatives anniversaries or birthdays. People would be left with a feeling of warmth when she met them.
‘She was a very positive person to be around, there was a very sensitive side to her. She loved her work with a passion, would go the extra mile and had approximately 70 people working with her. She achieved the objectives year in year out.
Left, Mrs Flitcroft with her ski instructor husband John, who died in 2005 and right
‘More privately, she would not necessarily share her problems because she felt they would be a worry to somebody else. She would often take other people’s problems on. No doubt that would have taken its toll sometimes, with the demanding job she had.
‘She was incredibly intelligent, loved to travel and was fluent in German. She attended the gym and would go skiing with her husband who was a ski instructor. John died some years ago and I think it must have had a profound effect on her.
‘If it was an anniversary she tended to be more thoughtful but I think that was just to reflect and I would give her space to do that.’
‘At work she was achieving what she needed to but more and more was always required despite the fact that the evidence was the work was successful.
‘In early 2015 she didn’t go back to work after an incident and up to that point she was incredibly stressed, there were demands she was being asked to deal with and after this incident she took the next three months off signed off by the GP.’
He added: ‘The medication I think helped, she was wanting to get back to work quite quickly and get back to a routine. She was passionate about work, it meant a great deal to her. She was trying very, very hard to get another position in a similar line of work and she encountered problems with that.
‘She was offered a post in June on July as a general manager of a school in East Manchester. The offer was made and her previous employer sent a note to say she had been sacked for gross negligence which was not true and of course that offer of employment was immediately withdrawn.
Mrs Flitcroft left a note for her old employers accusing them of having ‘blood on their hands’
‘That had a large effect on her confidence. She didn’t get any other offers. She was trying every option she could to find work. I feel this would have taken its toll on her confidence and well-being.
‘She was filling her time up with job applications. She was under investigation at that point for a criminal matter that had not been concluded at the time of her death. There had been no conviction and she remained a lady of good character but she was desperately worried and frightened.
‘She planned to defend herself in that regard. At the time of her death that matter was outstanding. That brought many pressures on her. I think the whole scenario was hugely stressful.
‘Despite asking Caron how things were she withheld any information, I think that was protecting and in keeping with her character very much.
‘In early August 2017 I noticed the change in her character for three or four weeks before she died she became extremely distracted at times. You would be talking to her and she was not taking anything in and would join the conversation at a later point. She was clearly distracted.’
‘On the Sunday evening (August 6) Caron became really distracted again. Later that evening I asked what was bothering her and she seemed quite angry, that was something new. I did keep pressing and asked what was the problem. On Monday morning everything seemed fine. Caron came up and gave me a big hug, I said I loved her and she said ‘love you’. There was no cause for concern.’
Mrs Flitcroft told her partner that she would be home around 8:30pm but by 11pm Mr Armitage became increasingly concerned.
He said: ‘I was getting worried at this stage. I had a look around and I found Caron’s purse in one of the bedrooms which was unusual if she had been out. After 12am I rang the police to register Caron missing. It must have been 3:30am when officers arrived. The officers took some details and a description. One of them went to look around the house.
‘Caron’s daughter Eleyna came into the kitchen and I heard a crackle over the radio and I looked at the police officer and realised something was untoward. It never entered my head that Caron would take her own life, it’s never occurred to me that she would do that. I believe that it was about the time of her wedding anniversary to John. I’m not aware of her hurting herself in the past.’
Det Sgtt Jason Byrne from GMP told the hearing: ‘Caron had been under investigation for an offence of fraud since December 2015 which caused her anxiety and stress. Police found a note next to Caron which read ‘You have blood on your hands, enough is enough, no more’. That note was identified as Caron’s hand writing.’
Recording a suicide conclusion, coroner Lisa Hashmi, said: ‘There were a number of worries and concerns which I have no doubt took their toll on her wellbeing. She had been a very successful woman. My deepest condolences go to you all and those touched by Caron’s death, family members and friends that cannot be here today and the children in the family.’