A SCOT held over the killing of Labour MP Jo Cox had a history of mental health issues and was described by neighbours as a “loner”.

Tommy Mair, 52, who was reportedly born in Kilmarnock, was detained by police near his home in Birstall, West Yorkshire following the attack on the MP for Batley and Spen.

Officers were seen searching his house not far from the scene of the attack near Leeds.

READ MORE: Jo Cox killing: Man detained over MP's death is reportedly from Scotland

Mr Mair, whose home is a small, semi-detached house on the Field Head council estate, in Birstall, is understood to have lived in the property for 40 years.

His brother, Scott, 49, confirmed he had a history of mental illness and said he had wept when he heard about the killing of Mrs Cox.

He said: “I am struggling to believe what has happened. My brother is not violent and is not all that political. I don’t even know who he votes for. He has a history of mental illness, but he has had help.

The Herald:

“I cried when I heard. I am so sorry for her and her family.”

Mair's half-brother, Duane St Louis, 41, speaking from his house in Dewsbury, west Yorkshire said he couldn’t believe the news. “I recognised him in handcuffs on the ground,” he said. “It felt like a dream. I just couldn’t believe he’d do something like that.

“I phoned my mum and she was watching too. She tried to phone his mobile but couldn’t get through and she knew something was up.”

He insisted his brother had never expressed any racist views and seemed fine to have a mixed-race sibling. Asked whether he had any strong political views, St Louis said: “Not that I know of.”

One local said they heard the man shout “Britain first” before the shooting and during the arrest.

Neighbours said Mr Mair had lived there for more than 30 years – on his own for the last two decades since the death of his grandmother.

READ MORE: Jo Cox killing: Man detained over MP's death is reportedly from Scotland

In 2010 Mr Mair, then aged 46, told a local newspaper about his mental health issues. He volunteered at the Oakwell Hall country park in Birstall that year after learning about an opportunity through the Mirfield-based Pathways Day Centre for adults with mental illness..

He said at the time: “I can honestly say it has done me more good than all the psychotherapy and medication in the world.

“Many people who suffer from mental illness are socially isolated and disconnected from society, feelings of worthlessness are also common mainly caused by long-term unemployment.

“All these problems are alleviated by doing voluntary work.

“Getting out of the house and meeting new people is a good thing, but more important in my view is doing physically demanding and useful labour.

The Herald:

“When you have finished there is a feeling of achievement which is emotionally rewarding and psychologically fulfilling.

“For people for whom full-time, paid employment is not possible for a variety of reasons, voluntary work offers a socially positive and therapeutic alternative.”

READ MORE: Jo Cox killing: Man detained over MP's death is reportedly from Scotland

Pathways is described on the South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust website as a “team that offers support to people experiencing mental health difficulties”.

Tommy Mair lived in a small semi detached house which last night was cordoned off and under police guard

Neighbours of Mr Mair's said the suspect was “quiet but very helpful” and that he had lived in the house for 40 years. He was understood to have lived with his grandmother until she died about 20 years ago. Since then he has lived on his own and was believed to have never had any full time employment.

Local said they did not think he had a job or drove a car, and described how he would do gardening chores for local people.

David Pickles said: “He’s lived there longer than me and I’ve lived here since 1975. I still can’t believe it. He’s the last guy I would have thought of.

“He’s just quiet. He kept himself to himself. He lived by himself. He’s been on his own for about 20 years.

“I’ve never seen a lot of people visiting or anything like that, but he likes gardening. He did a lot of people’s gardens round here. But he did it quietly.”

Mr Pickles said he did not know of any connection between his neighbour and Ms Cox.

Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: “We’ve known him quite a lot of years. I’ve known him since I was young. He lived with his grandmother in that house, she died a few years ago. He was a bit of a loner. It’s a bit of a shock - he did everyone’s gardens.

“I can’t say a wrong word about him, he was so quiet. It’s come as a shock to everybody.”

Kathleen Cooke, 62, said: “I am really shocked. He walked past my house this morning and said hello like he always does. He was wearing a grey T shirt and his white baseball cap like he always does and he was carrying a small rucksack.

“He is just a quiet bloke who keeps himself to himself. “He is very helpful and he helps local people with their gardens. There is one neighbour who is a bit frail and he keeps her garden tidy. He has helped me cut my hedge a couple of times.

“He has lived here for 40 years and has never been in any trouble and has never caused any trouble. He sometimes used to shout at the local kids if they played too near his house but that is fairly normal.

“I don’t think he belonged to any political party and I never heard him express any views about Europe or anything like that. To us, he was just Tommy, a local bloke we all knew.

“He did not have a job but I think he went down to the Job Centre to help people on the computer from time to time - I think it was something he had to do to get his dole money.”

Leah Ainley, who lives in Risedale Avenue where Mr Mair was arrested, said armed police surrounded him and pinned him to the ground.

“I just saw them take him down and catch him,” she added.

“The police were armed. There were more than 10 of them at the end. I just looked out the window and saw them. The man was white and bald. He banged his head on the floor. He just lay on the floor while they were holding him down.

“He had a bag with him but that’s all I saw, I didn’t see if he was armed.”

In a blog post at the far right Springbok Cyber Newsletter’s website, a Thomas Mair from Batley is described as “one of the earliest subscribers and supporters of S.A. Patriot, published by the pro-apartheid group, the White Rhino Club. On the magazine’s website, it’s described as being pro-free market capitalism and patriotism and anti-political correctness and “expansionist Islam.”