A CHAMPION rally car driver was found dead after a battle with depression, an inquest heard.
Mark Flaherty, 59, a four-time British champion in the 90s, died in "catastrophic” circumstances on New Year's Day, a coroner said.
The ace had driven his black Land Rover defender to the Oracle shopping centre car park in Reading on January 1.
Cops later found the motor “neatly and properly parked” with its interior “neat and in good condition”, the coroner said yesterday.
Detective Constable Nicole Jury said Mr Flaherty parked up and took a lift to the seventh floor of the town centre building.
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The rally legend visited a spot but appeared to change his mind, before heading to a nearby All Bar One for a whiskey and water.
He then sat in the outdoor seating area to finish the drinks and smoked a few cigarettes, Reading Coroners' Court heard.
Mr Flaherty of Ascot, Berks., returned to the top of the car park and was later found dead by "highly distressed" members of the public.
Ian Wade KC, Assistant Coroner for Berkshire, said: “There was, of course, nothing anyone could have done."
RALLY TRAGEDY
Mr Flaherty was recorded as having depression in 2000 and diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder in 2008, the court heard.
At a mental health assessment on January 17 last year, Mr Flaherty had “expressed regret over wrong decisions in life, described himself as being horrible and narcissistic, spoke of his plans to live in Spain, expressed desire to have therapy to address his various problems and his feelings of guilt.”
He had a history of suicidal thoughts and alcohol problems, mental health nurse Godfrey Karambakuwa said.
Mr Flaherty discharged himself from the Wokingham mental health services on February 2 last year.
Mr Karambakuwa added: “At the time of discharge, he was going through a divorce that he reported finding stressful, though he decided that he no longer needed support."
The coroner concluded that Mr Flaherty had died from suicide and said what he did was “carefully thought out and deliberate”.
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He added: “There is evidence to suggest Mark was struggling with his mental health and had been for many years.
“This action of projecting himself over the top floor of a very tall building, knowing that he would descend rapidly and calamitously, striking a hard, immovable object - there was only one outcome that was either likely or contemplated.”
Mr Flaherty started rally racing at the age of 18 before moving into rallycross three years later.
He made a name for himself in the 90s racing a rear-wheel drive, two-litre MKII Escort before stepping up to Supercar with the iconic Group B MG Metro 6R4.
Mr Flaherty won two Lydden Hill Championships in 1991 and 1992, and a British Rallycross Driver of the Year award in the latter.
These accolades were followed by two British Championship event wins the following year.
Mr Flaherty went on to become British Rallycross Drivers Association (BDRA) champion twice.
He returned to racing in the 2010s after a hiatus.
The racer will be remembered as a legend by fans after his passing, with one writing: "Thank you for the passion of rally."
