Whether an Oamaru man who died a day after being granted bail was mentally fit to be released from police custody has been considered at a coronial inquest.
Wayne John Ross (46) was found dead at a cake shop he co-owned with his wife in Arun St on June 13, 2015.
A inquest into his death, presided over by Coroner Sue Johnson, of Christchurch, and set down for two days, started at the Oamaru District Court yesterday.
She apologised to members of the Ross family at the outset for the fact it "took four years to get to this point''.
"I do acknowledge that being here could bring back emotions and feelings that you felt at the time, and this could be painful for you.''
Much of the opening day of the inquest was dedicated to questions about the circumstances that led to the arrest of Mr Ross on an assault charge the day before he died, the subsequent communication between police and mental health services after concerns were raised about his mental state, and the police decision to grant him bail that day.
Non-publication orders were put in place around the reporting of some of the circumstances of his arrest and how he died.
Arresting officers Sergeant Tony Woodbridge, of Oamaru, and Constable Nick Turner, of Dunedin and formerly Oamaru, were questioned at length about the June 12 incident at a Wansbeck St address, which resulted in Mr Ross being charged.
Waitaki Mental Health Services unit manager Paul Cullen, who carried out a risk assessment on Mr Ross, was also questioned.
Mr Ross was arrested and charged with assault following the incident, which was sparked when he and his wife had earlier argued at an Oamaru cafe, where Mr Ross threw a cup of hot coffee on her.
A distraught Mrs Ross told police her husband, who was not at the address when police arrived, had earlier threatened to shoot himself when he held an air rifle to his chin.
He had made a similar threat the night before.
While en route to the police station, he said he "just needed help''.
Concerned for the mental state of Mr Ross, Sgt Woodbridge called Waitaki Mental Health Services shortly before noon.
Mr Cullen arrived three hours later and met with Mr Ross for about 40 minutes.
He told the inquest Mr Ross said he was "definitely not suicidal'' but ``needed help for anxiety''.
He did not believe Mr Ross had a "major mental health illness'' that required treatment, which was disputed by Mrs Ross at the inquest, as was the fact family members were not contacted by Mr Cullen.
Mr Cullen considered there was no need for action under the Mental Health Act, given the assurances Mr Ross had given him, which included volunteering for treatment.
Following the assessment, and conversations between Sgt Woodbridge, Mr Ross' GP Dr Chris Rohrbach and his lawyer Emma Middlemass, it was decided to grant him bail.
Mr Ross was bailed to the address of a relative of Mrs Ross, Judith Summerell, in Towey St, where he was last seen about 7.30pm that night.
She said he seemed in "good spirits'' and there was nothing in his behaviour to suggest he would "harm himself''.
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