An inquest jury has ruled that a father-to-be found hanged in the toilets at a mental health hospital took his own life.

A hunt for Oliver Minkley was launched when he could not be found at Mill View Hospital, Hove.

Staff searched parts of the building and grounds but delayed reporting him missing to police for five hours.

He was found hanging in one of the male toilets just 100 steps from his room several hours later.

Mr Minkley, 35, was admitted as a voluntary patient on April 30 last year but was found dead two days later.

An inquest in Brighton was told he had been put on observation and should have been checked every hour because he was considered a suicide risk.

Admission forms had only partly been completed and an admission checklist was left blank.

Mr Minkley, who had a history of depression and anxiety, was taken by ambulance to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, after his mental condition deteriorated on April 30.

Although doctors felt he was at very high risk of self-harm he had to wait three hours before he was seen by a mental health nurse and a further four hours before the crisis team saw him.

His wife Gabrielle, who was 12 weeks pregnant at the time, said it was not until then that he was admitted to Mill View in Hove.

Mrs Minkley, of The Drive, Hove, said: “We were there because he was saying he wanted to kill himself but I didn't really feel that was taken seriously.”

The inquest at Hove Crown Court was told that Sussex Partnership NHS Trust staff had prioritised his care when he was admitted to Mill View.

He was given one-to-one attention by doctors and nurses who worked with him and his wife to agree a treatment plan.

The jury returned a verdict that Mr Minkley took his own life while suffering from depression.

Sussex Partnership chief executive Lisa Rodrigues, said: “We are desperately sorry that Mr Minkley died while in our care.

“Staff make extraordinary efforts to keep patients safe while maintaining their privacy and dignity.

“Very occasionally these efforts fail.”

Tim Ojo, the Trust's medical director added: “The death of anyone in our services is a tragedy.

“In this case it was reassuring for staff at Mill View to hear the coroner speak positively about the care they provided.”

Mr Minkley's wife and parents did not want to comment as they left the hearing yesterday.