A HAMPSHIRE dad-of-three took his life at a level crossing in Southampton, an inquest heard.

Pourya Jahanbakhsh-Kermani was struck by a passenger train at the Mount Pleasant Level Crossing.

Winchester Coroner's Court heard how the 33-year-old from Cranbury Terrace, Southampton had become a drug addict.

His wife Aurore Kermani told the hearing in a statement that he had worked as a gas engineer, but their marriage broke down because he became addicted to heroin and other drugs.

Mrs Kermani said: “Before drugs he was such a lovely person and we had a lovely life, we had our ups and downs like most families but we were soul mates.

"Seeing the destruction of this wonderful man was horrible."

The inquest heard that the last contact he made was a text to a family member a week before his death, where he told her he felt "lonely".

The inquest heard that when the barriers for the crossing were down, Mr Kermani had waited for a train to approach before running out in front of it on November 28, last year.

Train driver Robert Healey said: “As I approached the bridge I saw a man run out from behind it and into the path of the train, he stopped and looked at me.

"I hoped he would run across but he did not.

"In my opinion this was a deliberate act, otherwise why would he have stopped and looked at me."

He added it was the third incident of this sort he had had while driving trains.

Detective Sheela Chhaya from British Transport Police, said he had left his car at a nearby garage and staff had seen him walk off in the direction of the crossing.

Dr Vidhi Bhargava told the hearing Mr Kermani died of multiple injuries.

She also said that there were potentially fatal levels of street heroin in his body, along with toxic levels of cocaine.

Senior coroner Grahame Short recorded a verdict of suicide.

Mr Short said: “There is next to the level crossing a footbridge, which means it can be used when the barriers are in use to get to the other side.

"I have viewed the camera footage which shows he was behind the bridge pier of the bridge and out of sight, and appeared to have waited until a train approached and walked out in front of it.

"It was not an accident. It was not someone trying to cross the tracks when the barriers are down. I am assured on the CCTV and the two drivers testimony that this was a deliberate act and he wanted to end his life.

"I think because of his drug dependency he had lost his wife and children, he lost the rest of his family, his job and his prospects of a future life.

"It is desperately sad that someone with such a bright future in front of him is left in a position so desperate that he takes this step."