Ex-farmer Gerald Doherty, 75, whose heavy drinking

Ex-farmer Gerald Doherty, 75, whose heavy drinking
destroyed his family life – forcing the sale of their
Northern Ireland farm 20 years ago – was probably
making a ‘confused’ attempt to return to his birthplace
when he was hit by a train at London Bridge Station.

Devout Mr.

Doherty had never contacted his wife
and son since leaving them, Father Christopher Kelly, his
friend of 10 years, told an inquest in London today Wednesday.

‘He had drunk very heavily and put the farm in debt and had
to sell it,’ he said.

‘His marriage broke down shortly afterwards
and he arrived in London still a heavy drinker – but not an
alcoholic.

‘
The only connection he kept up with his wife and son was
a Christmas card – and even that was signed by Father Kelly.

Father Kelly, of St.

Josephs, Highgate Hill, Highgate, North
London, told the inquest at Southwark, South East London, that
in recent years Mr.

Doherty had limited his drinking to
occasional ‘binges.

‘
Father Kelly, who generally looked after him, said he
had recently become ‘confused.

‘
Mr Doherty would often get on buses near the flat in
Islington, North London, where he lived alone, and ask for a
ticket to his native Ballynahinch.

Once he had to collect him from a police station in the City of
London.

‘On the way back on the tube he was asking me if we were
close to Ballynahinch, thinking he was on the way home.

He was always
talking about the early days and about his native Co.

Down.

His family still live at Ballynahinch.

‘
On one occasion his wife had contacted him to try to find
out how her husband was living.

Father Kelly added that Mr.

Doherty would always attend his
morning services and then do odd gardening work for him in
exchange for meals.

He last saw him four days before his appalling death,
which happened on the railway track 400 yards out of London Bridge
Station at 6.

45pm on March 17 this year.

Driver James Wood said in the dark his train headlight
picked out the shape of a man carefully crossing the line,
avoiding the electric rail, some 12 yards ahead.

He was doing 25mph and slammed on the emergency brakes but it
was too late.

Mr.

Doherty was struck and terribly injured but still conscious.

Asked by a paramedic why he had been on the line, he replied: ‘I
don’t know.

‘
He died soon afterwards of multiple injuries in Guy’s
Hospital following emergency surgery.

No alcohol or drugs were in his body.

Coroner Sir Montague Levine told the jury: ‘If you believe
he thought he was going back to Ballynahinch and was wandering about
in a confused state – stepping carefully over live rails to
somehow get a train – then you must consider a verdict of accidental
death.

‘
After a brief retirement the jury unanimously retured
that verdict.

ENDS