Unclear how woman fell from Southend tower block - coroner

Essex Police said the woman had "fallen from a height"

The cause of a woman's fatal fall from a seventh floor window could not be determined, a coroner said.

Sophie Leigh, 22, suffered a severe head injury in the fall at Bewley Court tower block in Whittingham Avenue, Southend, on 10 November 2021.

Ms Leigh had been "heavily intoxicated" and there had "been loud and volatile arguments" between occupants of the flat, an inquest heard.

A coroner said there was "insufficient evidence" about how she came to fall.

Ms Leigh died at hospital in London five days later. Her medical cause of death was given as severe blunt force head injury.

Giving an open conclusion at her inquest in Chelmsford on 6 March, Essex coroner Lincoln Brookes said: "Whilst it was clear that she had been heavily intoxicated with alcohol most of that day, along with all three of the other occupants, and that there had been loud and volatile arguments between some or all of them, there was insufficient evidence for the court to be able to determine, on the balance of probabilities, how she came to fall."

Police initially arrested a man on suspicion of murder but he was released without charge, with the force saying there was no evidence of any third-party involvement in her death.