A FATHER-OF-THREE who jumped from the highest point of the Dartford crossing was paranoid the police were watching him after being investigated over a robbery, an inquest heard.

Erith-born Rajinder Sahota, of Chalfont St Peter, went to visit his mother in Kent on March 10 this year.

But on his return home, the 42-year-old car salesman stopped at the QE2 bridge and climbed over the barriers.

Trained police officers negotiated with Mr Sahota for four hours to no avail and he eventually jumped into the Thames at 3pm.

A lifeboat carried Mr Sahota to a waiting ambulance but he was later pronounced dead at Darent Valley Hospital.

Detective Inspector Kevin Shannon, of Essex Police, told the inquest: "It appeared at the time of his death Mr Singh was being investigated for a robbery.

"He had served a number of years in prison.

"His wife believed he was paranoid the police were watching him."

DI Shannon added Mr Sahota’s wife had received a phone call at around 11.30am where he told her: "I’ve had enough. They’re never going to leave me alone. I’m going to jump off the bridge."

Mr Sahota was part of a gang of nine jailed in 2003 for a series of armed robberies across south-west London.

Detective Sergeant Andrew Drake, of Essex Police’s Serious Crime Directorate, who led the negotiations with Mr Sahota, told the inquest: "He swore at me, didn’t want to talk to me and was on the phone a lot, which made it difficult."

DS Drake added the "horrible" conditions made the situation even worse.

He said: "It was the coldest place I’ve ever been in my life.

"He was threatening to jump - with the weather the way it was, I was concerned he was going to fall.

"It was a perilous situation and we couldn’t build very much rapport with him.

"Over time, we managed to build some trust.

"There were times when he was trying to shake my hand - it was as if he was wanted permission to jump, which I wasn’t going to do."

He added the officers managed to coax Mr Sahota to them with a cup of tea and grabbed him but he struggled and fought their grip.

"We grabbed him and held on to him for as long as we could. He fought. He didn’t want to be grabbed. We used all our strength."

Despite all efforts, Mr Sahota fought his way free and walked to the highest point of the bridge and jumped.

The coroner recorded a verdict of suicide.