A tragic incident involving a British Army soldier unfolded when heartbreak led him to drive into a tree at speeds reaching 80 mph, telling his girlfriend over the phone, “You won’t hear from me again.”
Twenty-six-year-old Joshua Parsons, a signaller with the army, succumbed to fatal injuries following the late-night crash while he was on a call with his partner, Georgia Clements.
During their conversation, Ms. Clements attempted to reassure him, offering to come and find him to help calm him down. However, the call ended abruptly with a loud crash, indicating he had collided with a tree.
An inquest revealed that Mr. Parsons and Ms. Clements had an unstable and irregular relationship leading up to the incident on June 9, 2024.
A dedicated rugby enthusiast, Joshua was associated with the 220 Signal Squadron stationed in Colerne, Wiltshire, and was scheduled to be deployed to Poland two months before the tragic event.
However, as heard in the South London Coroner’s Court in Croydon, this deployment did not occur following an incident during his leave at his home in West Wickham, South London, in February of that year.
His mother Sally Parsons, who attended the inquest with his siblings Jodie and Jack, said she and husband Lee had been in bed on February 24 when Joshua and Miss Clements returned having ‘both had a lot to drink’.
They argued and Miss Clements ran upstairs in a panic saying Joshua had tried to stab himself and he was restrained by his father and brother.
Ministry of Defence GP Dr Laura Vincent saw him on February 26. He told her he had experienced thoughts that he’d be better off dead and wanted to be taken off duties.
Joshua Parsons, 26, a signaller, died after suffering catastrophic injuries in the late night smash as he spoke to his partner Georgia Clements
An inquest into Mr Parsons’ death heard the pair had an ‘on-off relationship’ and their communication had been ‘chaotic and inconsistent’ before his death on June 9, 2024. Pictured: Joshua Parsons (left) with his siblings Jodie Ashbolt and Jack Parsons
Joshua Parsons (top right) with his mother Sally, father Lee, brother Jack and sister Jodie
He added that the February 24 incident was ‘spur of the moment’, he had been under the influence of four beers and, crucially, that he had no relationship issues.
‘I was very concerned about him, but from what I could see there was no risk of a further immediate suicide attempt,’ Dr Vincent told the hearing
‘I rely on my instinct a lot as I know patients do not always open up fully about what they are experiencing. He was actively seeking support.’
The Army responded robustly to the soldier’s mental health problems and downgraded him as unavailable for deployment, the inquest was told.
Dr Vincent immediately reached out to his chain of command and a Vulnerability Risk Management meeting was held that afternoon.
The Army-run Department of Community Mental Health (DCMH) was contacted and an appointment made for the next day.
He was put on a Care Action Plan to give him extra support before starting an anxiety management course to address his mental health triggers.
However, he specifically asked for his family not to be told what was happening, which meant they were unaware of how unwell he had been.
In the following months he was reviewed weekly and showed signs of vast improvement.
However Lt Col Nicholas Galvin said there was a ‘tension around ambivalence to being in the Army’ from the signaller.
His total discharge had been discussed on grounds of him being temperamentally unsuitable for the role.
Major Steven McNeillie, his sub unit commander, said that in April his unit deployed to Poland but he stayed back at base.
‘Josh didn’t want other people to know that he’d had these suicidal thoughts,’ he said.
‘He couldn’t carry a weapon and he didn’t want other people to see him without a weapon as they would immediately make the leap.’
The night he died, Joshua had called into a local pub to see his family (pictured above) and then said he was going to a friend’s house
A keen rugby player, Joshua was a member of 220 Signal Squadron based in Colerne, Wiltshire, and was due to be deployed to Poland two months before his death. Pictured with his sister Jodie Ashbolt and brother Jack
In the weeks before his death, his mother said he had come home every weekend and hadn’t really wanted to leave his room.
The night he died, Joshua had called into a local pub to see his family and then said he was going to a friend’s house.
He came home late that evening and his mother told him she had messaged Miss Clements – who she said had ended the relationship the week before – and asked her not to contact him as he was due to go on a parachute course in the US and she wanted him to be in a good frame of mind.
She heard Joshua leave the house and thought he’d gone for a walk, but in fact he had decided to drive.
Miss Clements was on a night out in a noisy bar but received a voicemail from Joshua which said: ‘I have nothing left. I’m sorry.’
She called him back and it was clear he was driving.
‘During our final call he was asking ‘Are we ever going to get back together?’ she said.
‘I said I couldn’t do this. He said ‘You won’t hear from me again.’ I told him to pull over and that’s when I heard the crash.’
Met Police crash expert PC Peter Devoy investigated the scene in South Eden Park Road, Beckenham.
There were no faults with the road or car and there had been a ‘continued deviation’ towards a tree.
The speedometer was stuck at 80mph and when removed went down to 60mph indicating the possible crash speed.
‘All of the evidence was consistent with it appearing to be a deliberate act,’ he said.
Members of the public and two off duty police officers came across the scene at around 12.40am.
Joshua was unconscious and trapped.
After being cut out in four minutes by London Fire Brigade, the air ambulance crew arrived but attempts to revive him were abandoned as he’d been in cardiac arrest for 20 minutes.
His blood alcohol level was 132mg per 100ml of blood, almost twice the legal drink drive limit
Consultant histo-pathologist Dr Anna Rycroft gave the cause of death as multiple severe injuries.
The blood alcohol level was 132mg per 100ml of blood, almost twice the legal drink drive limit.
Assistant coroner Paul Renteurs recorded a narrative conclusion, saying it was ‘incredibly sad’ that someone drawn to a life of service had died so young.
He said: ‘Miss Clements describes Josh as ‘extremely erratic’ at this time and he left her a voicemail that said he had ‘nothing left’.
‘It seems clear she was on the phone to Josh when his car collided with a tree.
‘In all likelihood Josh lost consciousness immediately after the impact. Mercifully I think it is overwhelmingly likely he did not experience any pain.
‘Josh drove his car into a tree, intending in that moment to end his life. It was an impetuous act.’
The soldier’s family has since raised money for various mental health charities in his honour.
His sister Jodie Ashbolt said after his death: ‘Please remember that you can’t always tell when someone is struggling.
‘Just please always check in on those around you and spread the awareness. There needs to be more on mental health and young suicide.’
For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, or visit samaritans.org
