A YOUNG Somerset man who was 'de-fellowshipped' by a religious group took his own life, an inquest has heard.

Lewis Marshall had become unhappy after moving to the USA aged 19 to marry an American woman he had met online

While in The States, he was drawn into the Jehovah's Witnesses and felt he had to live up to the perfect marriage ideal, his mother Julia Brass told the inquest in Taunton.

Lewis, of High Street, Wells, became homesick and returned to the UK in 2017 with his wife, Taran.

A landscape gardener, he had taken on two jobs as he felt "immense pressure to earn enough money to prove he could support his wife," Ms Brass said.

But when Taran was unable to take out British citizenship, she went back to America.

Ms Brass added that Lewis, who "wouldn't hurt a fly", became depressed and began drinking took much and smoking as a cry for help.

The senior Somerset coroner Tony Williams heard that Lewis was "overwhelmed" at a 4,000-strong Jehovah's Witness convention in Exeter and he felt rejected and marginalised as the group "de-fellowshipped him".

After attending a religious convention in Bristol last November, Lewis took his own life.

Mr Williams recorded a conclusion of suicide by hanging.

There is support at hand for people who feel they need it:

The Samaritans can be contacted on the free national number 116123, or e-mail jo@samaritans.org or alternatively contact Somerset CRUSE bereavement on 01458-898211 or e-mail somerset@cruse.org.uk