A WOMAN who drowned in her partner’s garden pond in a “tragic accident” was almost four and half times over the drink drive limit.

Dorset Coroner Rachael Griffin yesterday ruled that Pamela Jane Bayley, otherwise known as Pamela Iverson, died as a consequence of an accident.

Her cause of death was determined as drowning, with alcohol intoxication a contributing factor.

Ms Bayley, 56, was pronounced dead at the scene on Friday May 26, at neighbour Eric Siegenberg’s home on Northey Road, Bournemouth.

At the inquest, Ms Griffin described Ms Bayley as a successful lady in her early life, who sadly during her life had trouble with alcohol.

Dr Jeffery, a consultant pathologist, told the court Ms Bayley was nearly four and half times over the drink drive alcohol limit, with a sample taken of 356mg/100ml of blood. She also had cirrhosis of the liver.

Ms Bayley had sustained bruises to her arms and flanks, but the inquest heard these appeared to have been sustained post mortem and could have been from when she was dragged from the pond.

Later, Mr Siegenberg said he cared for Ms Bayley deeply and would not “hurt a hair on her head”.

Police arrested Mr Siegenberg on suspicion of murder, but the 68-year-old was released without charge.

Mr Siegenberg said his friend had a problem with alcohol, and after helping her go six months without a drink she returned to her “chronic alcoholism”. He said Ms Bayley had arrived unexpectedly at his house around 3pm and the pair drank in the garden.

Mr Siegenberg went to lie down around 5pm and after waking up around 10pm, went to the garden and said an “eerie feeling” came over him.

“It felt as if something was wrong. As I went across I could see the outline of something in the pond,” Mr Siegenberg said.

The court heard that after discovering Ms Bayley in the pond and trying to get her out, Mr Siegenberg rushed out of the front of the house and phoned 999.

DI Dixey said: “I can find no evidence to support that Mr Siegenberg or any other third party was involved in the death of Pamela Bayley.”