Suffolk Coroners Court rules death of Bury woman Nicola Carter was 'alcohol related'

A woman found dead in her Bury St Edmunds flat had drunk a lethal quantity of alcohol, an inquest has heard.

The body of Nicola Carter, 40, was discovered in the bathroom of her home in Banks Walk on January 11.

The discovery was made by Miss Carter's aunt Susan Cox who had travelled from her home in Norfolk after being unable to contact her for nine days.

Miss Carter was declared dead at the scene by a paramedic, the inquest at Suffolk Coroners Court in Ipswich was told today (Friday, April 12).

A post mortem examination at the West Suffolk Hospital conducted by consultant parthologist Dr Iwona Kaminska concluded that death had been due to alcohol intoxication.

Specialist toxicology tests conducted at Imperial College, London, showed the presence of alcohol at a level almost seven and a half times the legal limit for driving.

Toxiologist Dr Susan Paterson said in a report that the alcohol found in the tests was well above that at which death would be expected to occur.

Senior Suffolk Coroner Nigel Parsley said Miss Carter had been acknowledged as having an alcohol dependency problem and at times had expressed a wish to get help but had lost her licence for drink driving, lost her job and even, on occasions, collapsed in the street.

The Coroner recorded a conclusion that Miss Carter's death had been alcohol related.