A MISSING hospital worker who knew he was a suspect in a police investigation was found dead the next day with his wrists slashed.

Yesterday, a Bradford inquest heard that David Vickers, who was 42 and worked as a health care assistant at Airedale General Hospital, knew police wanted to speak to him at his home in Bracken Road, Ingrow, Keighley.

The day before his body was discovered in a field close to the River Aire and near the Silsden and Steeton roundabout, his partner Andrea Collingwood got a phone call asking her to go home because police had a warrant to search it.

She phoned her son to go home and a member of family had made Mr Vickers aware the police were at his house and wanted to speak to him, but he never went back.

When he failed to appear later that day, Miss Collingwood contacted police to see if they were speaking to him and reported him missing.

The next day, early on January 20 this year, a dog walker spotted Mr Vickers' body. He was lying face down and the area of grass around him was flattened, the inquest was told.

The dog walker dialled 999 and Mr Vickers was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. He had died from massive blood loss.

The inquest heard that Mr Vickers had been a fit man and did not have any mental health problems before his death, but did have dark days. Several years ago he had taken tablets, but told a friend who took him to hospital. On that occasion, it had not been a serious attempt to take his own life, said Bradford coroner Martin Fleming. He had been upset at the time about breaking up with a girlfriend.

Mr Fleming told Mr Vickers' family, who were at the inquest, that no traces of alcohol or drugs had been found in his system and therefore had not played a part in the matter or "clouded his judgement".

The inquest heard from Detective Hannah Mansell that police had spoken to Miss Collingwood's son and everything had been cleared up, but they had still wanted to speak to Mr Vickers. No details of that investigation were revealed during the inquest.

Mr Fleming said after hearing all the evidence he was satisfied that Mr Vickers had intended to take his own life.

He added: "I have heard that before he went missing he was aware he was a suspect in a police investigation. It's clear this was causing him anxiety and distress. Perhaps in the desperation of such thoughts it resulted in him self-inflicting those wounds."