Man kills children, self, over divorce battle

Tragic indeed, and on Father's Day. This is the state of things here in the west. Excerpt:

"A father found gassed with his two children had been in despair over a bitter divorce battle.

Security guard Brian Philcox, 53, had lost his job and feared he would have to hand over his house to his estranged wife Evelyn, 37.
...
The pressure group Fathers 4 Justice confirmed that he had been in touch last week telling of his desperation. He had also told neighbours that the divorce had left him at the end of his tether and would leave him penniless.

He told one friend: 'I've lost my wife, I've lost my kids and I've lost my job. Now I'm going to lose my house. But I'd rather burn it down than see that bitch get it.'
...
Matt O'Connor, founder of Fathers 4 Justice, said: 'From time to time we get calls from people in an extremely agitated state. He called last week and was in some distress.

'There was some dispute over his house but the kids were the main issue for him and he was worried about losing all custody.'"

The story also says that it is alleged the man was violent toward his stepson and that was the main reason for his wife's seeking a divorce. Well I can't say one way or another as to the veracity of that claim. But I am familiar with the karate world and I doubt a man prone to violence to solve problems in any context would get to the level he was at in the karate world without showing remarkable discipline and mastery of his impulses, emotions, and reactions. I could be wrong, but I am just saying, it would come as a surprise to me. And not to be gruesome here, but note the means of killing his kids and himself was fundamentally "non-violent", though unfortunately all-too-effective.

Understand though that in no way am I excusing him for these actions. Alas plenty of men have had wives leave them and nab house and children and they have not resorted to this kind of action. It is true to say that for men who may be pushed too far by "The System" it isn't too hard to see how some would succumb to even this level of irrationality.