A father-of-five who was the subject of a large-scale search for a missing person drove his car into the water at a Welsh port after his mental health deteriorated along with drug and alcohol addiction, an inquest heard. Jai Holroyd, who was 40 years old and lived in the Pembroke Dock area, went missing on March 20 this year.

He left his partner’s house the night before and said he was “doing what he had to do” before saying he loved her. That night he returned home from work at the Cliffe Norton Hotel in Tenby and told his partner he had fought with a friend over money and admitted taking cocaine.

Speaking at the inquest into his death, held in Haverfordwest on Thursday, Dyfed-Powys Police coroner Kerry Sheridan told the hearing that Holroyd “was known to suffer from mental health problems, drug addiction and alcoholism” and that he left the house that night saying he needed to “clear his head.”

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The following morning, March 20, his partner Liz Brown woke to find he had not returned and tried to call her while she was sleeping. During the investigation, it became known that he also called his brother and said he was going to commit suicide. The inquest heard a statement written by Mr Holroyd’s brother, Kyle Holroyd, which said: “At 2.52am I was woken by a phone call from my brother. He apologized for everything. He told me he was in Hobbs Point (near Pembroke Harbor) and that he was going to throw the car into the water.

The statement adds that the phone call lasted about two minutes and it was agreed that Kyle would contact his brother again later that day. However, when he did not return home and Holroyd was not seen, a search was launched for the missing man, involving specialist search teams, sonar, drones, marines and dogs. Almost a month later, on the morning of April 16, members of the public saw a body in the water at Pembroke Harbor. It was later confirmed to be the body of Mr Holroyd. His car was recovered from the water about four months later.

Useful numbers to work on your mental health

There is help if you need it:

Remember Kimra The information line is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm. To contact them call 0300 123 3393.

Samaritans offers a 24/7 listening service on 116 123 (calling this number is FREE in the UK and Republic of Ireland and will not appear on your phone bill).

TO CALL (Community Advice & Listening Line) provides people in Wales with emotional support and information/literature about mental health and related topics. They can be contacted on 0800 132 737 or via their website.

National Health Service offers help and advice through the 111 service.

A statement from Mr Holroyd’s partner was also read out during the inquest. About the night she last saw him, when he left home, Miss. Brown said: “I asked him what he was doing and he told me he was ‘doing what he had to do’. I told him “don’t be stupid” and he turned around and said “I love you”.

A post-mortem examination carried out after Mr Holroyd’s body was found confirmed that he had died from drowning. Closing the inquest, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire Deputy Coroner Gareth Lewis said: “I am satisfied with the evidence I received that Jai had a history of mental health problems. “I am convinced that Jai took conscious and deliberate steps to take his own life.” Mr Lewis concluded it was suicide.

Samaritans confidential support can be contacted free of charge 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 116 123.