The \u201cintelligent, kind and compassionate\u201d manager of Irish band Fontaines DC took his own life in June this year, an inquest has found.<\/p>\n
Trevor Dietz, 47, died after a fall from height<\/a> in East Sussex on June 7 after a long battle with mental health issues.<\/p>\n Fontaines DC called Mr Dietz \u201cthe sixth member of the band\u201d, while Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap paid tribute to him during their headline set at Crystal Palace Park later in June.<\/p>\n On Monday, East Sussex Coroner\u2019s Court heard that Mr Dietz felt \u201coverwhelmed\u201d by his mental health problems and had become \u201cincreasingly distressed\u201d by global events, particularly in Gaza.<\/p>\n Beyond his impact on the music industry, Mr Dietz was widely known as a campaigner for Palestinian human rights and against genocide.<\/p>\n His sister and partner both attended court while his brother watched proceedings via videolink.<\/p>\n In a statement read out by the coroner, Mr Dietz\u2019s sister Helena Prentice wrote: \u201cThroughout his life he was passionate about humanitarian issues, particularly Palestine, and found it very difficult to accept the suffering of innocent people.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n She added that he was an \u201cexceptionally intelligent, kind and compassionate man\u201d who had experienced \u201crecurrent anxiety\u201d for many years.<\/p>\n Mr Dietz had been engaging with his GP and other mental health professionals about an ongoing anxiety disorder and suicidal ideation, the court heard.<\/p>\n Assistant Coroner Rachel Redman found that Mr Dietz had died by suicide after sustaining multiple injuries in a fall from height.<\/p>\n She said: \u201cHe clearly was really, really dedicated and devoted to his band and it seemed to be a mutual feeling.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure that they and all of the musicians he worked with, will be lost without him.\u201d Irish rock band Fontaines DC shared the news of Mr Dietz\u2019s death on June 9 with a heartfelt tribute.<\/p>\n They wrote: \u201cWe are utterly heartbroken to let you know that on Sunday June 7th we lost our dear friend and manager Trevor.<\/p>\n \u201cTrevor was beside us from the beginning of our journey as a band, we have never known Fontaines DC without him, the sixth member of the band.<\/p>\n \u201cHe cared passionately for us and for what was fair and right in the wider world. He was fearless in his beliefs. We will miss him always.\u201d<\/p>\n The band concluded: \u201cWe ask that you kindly respect our privacy and that of his family at this terribly difficult time. RIP Trev.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Mr Dietz signed Dublin band Fontaines DC in 2016 ahead of their breakthrough debut album Dogrel.\u00a0<\/p>\n The first photo in the online tribute showed Mr Dietz wearing a Kneecap T-shirt, with the fellow Irish musicians\u2019 official page commenting: \u201cSuaimhneas s\u00edora\u00ed d\u00e1 anam, a chara\u201d, translated from Gaelic as \u201cRest in peace, my friend\u201d.<\/p>\n