A man was talked out of jumping from the top of a multi-storey car park by a reporter from the Swindon Evening Advertiser.

The drama lasted more than two hours with reporter Barrie Hudson winning praise from the police for "going far beyond what we could have expected of him".

The 30-year-old man (pictured), only agreed to come away from the lip of the 50ft drop if Barrie escorted him.

He had earlier called the newspaper on his mobile phone, saying he would jump. He insisted he had been wrongly convicted of stealing two cars, and that death was preferable to having his girlfriend and baby daughter see him go to prison.

He said he was due to be sentenced but that he would sooner end his life than be sent to prison for crimes he insisted he had not committed. He claimed that he had been convicted on the strength of untrue claims by others.

As the police approached the scene, he warned them to stay away, but later asked them to get in touch with the Evening Advertiser again. He said he wanted the same reporter he spoke to to come and talk to him.

When Barrie (above) arrived, the man insisted that notes be taken of his grievances, but flatly refused to move out of danger, the drop overlooking the Magistrates Court.

By this time, specialist police negotiators had also arrived, and the man had been at the top of the car park for some two hours.

He agreed to come to safety - but only if Barrie met him as soon as he stepped down and also leave the car park with him.

As the two walked through a lower floor, the man was detained by police officers.

He was taken to a medical centre for assessment where he insisted he was in full possession of his faculties and merely wanted to draw attention to the "injustice".

Swindon police praised Barrie's actions, saying he had done an excellent job.

Inspector Ian Bamber said: "What Barrie did was far and beyond what we could have expected of him. He did very well, especially as he is not a trained negotiator. We are extremely grateful for the assistance he gave us."

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