Newmarket woman Donna Price who was found dead outside home died after an alcohol-related accident, court hears

A Newmarket woman, who fell to her death from a bathroom window in the block of flats where she lived, had been drinking heavily, an inquest has heard.

Forty-three-year-old Donna Price was found with serious head injuries by her husband, Stephen, on August 7 last year.

He told the inquest at Ipswich today that his wife had been drinking with a friend, Gary, at his house in Newmarket, on the night she died. A short time after he arrived, at around 8pm, she had decided to leave to walk home to their flat in New Cheveley Road.

"She left soon after I got there, and I said I'd stay for a couple more drinks but I wouldn't be long", said Mr Price. "I realised later that I had the keys so she couldn't get in. When I came back I saw her lying by the back door, face up, and not moving.

"At first I thought she'd just had too much to drink," he said, " but then I lifted her head up and found my hands were covered in blood."

Mr Price said he called 999 and performed CPR until two police officers arrived and took over until paramedics got there.

Mrs Price, who had sustained fractures to her skull, ribs, and face, was pronounced dead just after 11pm.

Giving evidence, Det Ch Insp Holly Evans said numerous witnesses and neighbours had been questioned, and that an extensive check of the interior of the property had been carried out, including the third floor bathroom, where Mrs Price's phone and some shopping items were found.

"We know Mrs Price tried to make three calls to friends at 8.25pm that were not answered and that one of those friends called back at 8.51pm, but Mrs Price did not answer, indicating that something may have happened during that time," she said.

"We were not able to find any evidence to support a version of events involving a third party in Donna's death, and I would say a fall from height is the most likely cause of her injuries. We saw no signs of a disturbance in the bathroom, and nothing remarkable that might suggest a fight.

"Mr Price was seen on CCTV heading back towards the address at 9.22pm and a witness heard a male voice shouting the name, Donna, at 9.41pm. At 10.12pm a 999 call was made," she said.

Forensic pathologist Benjamin Swift told the court that Ms Price's injuries were consistent with impacting a flat surface after a fall and that there were no defensive injuries or injuries suggesting an assault.

"Her survival time after such a head injury would have been short", he added. He told the hearing the level of alcohol in Mrs Price's blood was more than four times the legal drink drive limit.

Assistant coroner for Suffolk coroner, Catherine Wood, said that all of Mrs Price's injuries were consistent with a fall from height and that they had most likely been sustained after she fell from the window of a communal bathroom in the three-storey building in which she lived with her family.

"I think, more likely than not, this is an accidental death, but that alcohol played a part and so I am going to combine my conclusions and conclude that this was an alcohol-related accidental death," she said.

Ms Wood read a prepared statement from one of Mrs Price's daughters, India, which said: "Mum was an affectionate, happy, easy going, person.

"Mum and dad loved each other very much and no matter her struggles later in life, she always kept going and loved her children endlessly.

"She always gave us her time and was the life and soul of the party.

"She was a great mother and one of a kind."