Laura Gawthorpe

I am Oliver Robert Longstaff, Area Coroner for the Coroner area of West Yorkshire (Eastern).

On 7th October 2022 I commenced an investigation into the death of Laura Gawthorpe 07/07/1987. The investigation concluded at the end of the Inquest on 30/04/2024. The conclusion of the Inquest was that Mrs Gawthorpe’s death was a suicide.

Laura Gawthorpe was a voluntary patient at the Becklin Centre, Alma Street, Leeds. On 13th September 2022, she left the Becklin Centre on unescorted leave and made her way [REDACTED], where CCTV tracked her making her way to levels [REDACTED] of the car park, and thence back down [REDACTED] from where she deliberately fell to the ground below, dying instantly from unsurvivable injuries.

During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern. In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken. In the circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you. The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows: The  evidence  of West Yorkshire  Police was  that, by the erection  of extensive fencing and barriers, measures have been put in place on levels [REDACTED] at the car park to make it harder for people to fall from those levels, whether deliberately or accidentally. The  erection of  similar measures  on  level has been  only partial.  The  point from where Mrs Gawthorpe  fell was identified by correlating her location on the ground with the location on level [REDACTED]  where she had left her phone before her fall. At that location, the parapet wall could still easily be climbed over.

In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you or organisation have the power to take such action.