The fire chief of West Midlands Fire Service took his own life in the midst of an investigation into his qualifications and after years of ‘harassment’, an inquest has ruled.
Wayne Brown committed suicide, aged 54, while facing intense scrutiny, including multiple media inquiries.
His distraught family said they believed the actions of those putting him under constant scrutiny had pushed him to the edge and a story published the night before he was found dead had been ‘the final straw’.
READ MORE: Fire chief Wayne Brown inquest opens with heartbreaking family tribute
Coroner Louise Hunt ruled he had taken his own life.
In comments made at the close of the inquest she said he had made a complaint of harassment and was suffering ‘extreme stress arising from the ongoing harassment case’ and ‘a recent work investigation regarding his qualifications, which had become public in the days leading up to his death.’
Mr Brown was found dead at his flat in Birmingham in January 2024 amid scrutiny over a claim he had ‘falsified’ having an MBA in his CV and on his job application for the senior role. He had admitted to his employer that he had not completed an MBA as he had claimed, but inquiries later found he did hold an equivalent qualification.
The coroner, sitting at Birmingham Coroners’ Court, indicated she was raising a report to prevent future deaths that flagged concerns about West Midlands Fire Service handling of the aftermath.
It had failed to undertake a full ‘lessons learned’ inquiry after the death. She was also concerned that there was no clear plan or policy in place at the service to support very senior staff undergoing investigations.
The hearing had earlier heard that Mr Brown had left notes for his family and West Midlands Police at the scene of his death. Coroner Hunt told the hearing that one of two notes found at the scene of Mr Brown’s death was addressed to ‘WMP’ – West Midlands Police.
She said: “The first paragraph says: ‘the last two years of my life have been absolutely awful’ and it ends with: ‘I can’t do this anymore.’
Benjamin Walker, present at the inquest as an ‘interested person’, later told the hearing that the note ‘named me’.
He had been charged with harassment against Mr Brown and was facing trial prior to the tragedy. The case was later dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.
Mr Walker always denied wrongdoing and said he was a whistleblower raising legitimate concerns.
READ MORE: Fire chief Wayne Brown’s final note ‘named’ man who he claims ‘harassed him’ for years, inquest told
Mr Brown’s son Kai had earlier told the inquest of his father’s work ethic and rise from running a market stall and working at McDonald’s to becoming the first black fire chief in the country. “He was an inspiration to many. Wayne was loved and respected,” he said.
Mr Brown’s partner Nicola White told the hearing of their final moments together in a Facetime call hours before his death. She said he had told her that media interest in the MBA issue had escalated and he had left work early.
“He told me he loved me, he really loved me.” She said she sent him a motivational upbeat quote and he had replied to say he loved her and their family so much, and intended to drive home the next day. She said she considered briefly asking if he was going to ‘do anything silly’ but dismissed it because ‘Wayne would never do that, no.’
He was someone who felt he had to be strong for everyone else around him, she added. “He didn’t like to show his weaknesses.”
She said of the circumstances that led to his death: “The harassment had been going on so long, and was intensifying again. The court case (against Benjamin Walker) had been postponed again…I think he just couldn’t take it anymore, he just could not take any more months of social media posts and harassment. I think the newspaper article that came out that evening in The Sun was the final straw.”
A statement from deputy fire chief at the time, Joanne Bowcock, read to the inquest, spoke about the scrutiny Mr Brown was under and the toll it was taking on him. “Wayne was under some pressure and had been for some time. He was a victim of continued harassment from multiple individuals outside West Midlands Fire Service.
“Wayne was a very private person and very resilient, so we did not speak about it in any detail over that period, he appeared to be coping well…until January 18th (when he had been told he was under investigation).”
She said he told her of his CV issue but also that he held an MBA ‘equivalent’. They spoke again when she learned multiple media inquiries had been made including from The Sun, whose journalist said they had been ‘briefed’ on several allegations.
These included claims that Mr Brown and Ms Bowcock were having an affair, ‘which was totally unfounded and upset both of us greatly’. The allegations also accused Wayne of lying about having had a successful career as a footballer early in his life, and accused him of unspecified corruption, along with a series of allegations about his personal life, said her statement.
“Despite the increased pressure, Wayne seemed to be coping…but allegations were also being shared more broadly on social media and in the fire service sector, and I noticed he became noticeably quieter.”
A further complaint arrived pressing the fire service to report Mr Brown to the police for fraud, claiming he could face imprisonment as a result, she said.
“He seemed to be genuinely concerned as to how far these individuals would go to attack his character….he also expressed his concern to me about the fear and the risk of prosecution.” He felt the intensity of the media and the social media stories was likely to make his position untenable, she said.
“Despite the pressure he was clearly feeling, I never, ever considered him to be contemplating suicide. He showed no signs of that at all. I would never have left him alone, had the slightest inkling that he was having suicidal thoughts.”
She raised the alarm the next day when he did not respond to calls or arrive at work.
Samaritans (116 123 in UK and Ireland) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org.