Poole man fell to death in tragic accident (From Bournemouth Echo)

Poole man fell to death in tragic accident

1:00pm Wednesday 10th March 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
•  

A “MISGUIDED” Poole man who died after plunging almost 100ft from a tower block was trying to escape from the police, an inquest heard yesterday.

Daniel Butler, 29, suffered “devastating internal injuries” after falling from the seventh floor of Grenville Court in South Road on November 21 last year.

Bournemouth Coroner’s Court was told how Mr Butler had managed to jump from his tenth-floor flat onto two balconies below.

Tragedy struck as he attempted to leap down onto another balcony. Tracey-Ann McGee watched in horror from her flat opposite as Mr Butler fell.

She said: “It looked like he was hanging from his hands. He just went. I think he was scared and wanted to get away.”

Earlier the inquest was told how emergency services had been called following reports that Mr Butler had taken an overdose.

His friend Michelle Barnes said Mr Butler had been “acting out of character” when he arrived at her home earlier that day. “He was very angry. I’d never seen him like that before.”

Her neighbour Michael McLaughlin said: “Daniel was normally happy go lucky. But that morning he was aggressive.”

PC Sadie Napper, who was called to the disturbance, said Mr Butler had been “very agitated” and unsteady on his feet.

She took him to Poole hospital but Mr Butler discharged himself. Emergency services were alerted just after 3pm when Miss Barnes received a phone call saying Mr Butler wanted to end it.

There was no response when police knocked on Mr Butler’s door.

Fearing that he had overdosed, they forced their way in but he was not inside the flat.

Paramedics and police rushed downstairs to witness Mr Butler plunging to the ground.

A search uncovered drug paraphernalia, empty tablet packets and a tax demand for £15,958 in Mr Butler’s flat. Toxicology tests found traces of amphetamines, morphine and methadone in his body.

A Dorset police investigation concluded that none of the officers involved should be criticised for their actions.

Coroner Sheriff Payne recorded that Mr Butler had died from an accident, adding: “For some misguided reason he did not wish the police to see him and was endeavouring to escape. Sadly his attempt failed.”