"Insufficient Evidence" to Rule Property Tycoon's Death Suicide

Property tycoon Scot Young's death after he fell from the fourth floor at his luxury flat cannot be ruled as a suicide due to insufficient evidence'', a coroner has decided.

The 52-year-old, who was sent to prison during a vitriolic and public divorce row over a multimillion-pound settlement, was found on railings in Montagu Square, Marylebone, central London.

An inquest at Westminster Coroner's Court in London heard that he was battling with drug problems and bipolar affective disorder when he died on December 8.

Recording a narrative verdict, coroner Shirley Radcliffe said: I have concluded that there is inconclusive evidence to determine his state of mind and intention when he came out of the window.''

The coroner said that, after hearing the evidence, she could rule out any kind of foul play.

Mr Young's daughters, who were present at the inquest, believe that their father did not kill himself, but police ruled out any involvement from a third party.

Dr Radcliffe said: I think the police are entirely correct in that there is no suspicious circumstances.''

She continued: On December 8 2014 Mr Young fell to his death from a fourth floor window of his flat in Montagu Square, London.

He had been discharged that afternoon from a psychiatric inpatient unit following an episode of drug-induced psychosis on a background of bipolar affective disorder.

He was not considered a risk to himself nor did he have any significant history of deliberate self-harm.''

The inquest heard that Young suffered a psychotic episode after admitting to his ex-girlfriend, Noelle Reno, that he had been taking cocaine every day for the previous three weeks.

He was also drinking up to six large vodkas'' after a judge ruled against him in his divorce proceedings in October that year, the inquest heard.

Moments before he was found dead, he told Ms Reno he was going to jump out of the four-storey flat.

He told her on the phone: I'm going to jump out of the window. Stay on the phone, you will hear me'', before she rang police.

He also texted the American to say he had hit rock bottom'' after she brought in a locksmith to keep him out of the flat because she felt unsafe.

He wrote: Now I've hit rock bottom as you will see! Loved you like no other. Love you always and forever.''

Mr Young's daughters, Sasha and Scarlett, sat in the public gallery throughout the hearing.

The inquest heard that he had left a voicemail message for one of them minutes before his death, in which he said: Hi darling. Just want to say love you loads. Miss you terribly,'' before adding:Love you. Bye.''

The entrepreneur felt under huge stress'' from his bankruptcy and high-profile divorce in the months before his death, the hearing was told.

Associates were left angry and behaved aggressively towards him when they were investigated in connection with his money problems, increasing his paranoia, Ms Reno claimed.

Since 2011 he had been treated for bipolar affective disorder and for cocaine and alcohol abuse, having to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

And in January 2013 he was jailed for six months for contempt of court during his high-profile matrimonial row with former partner Michelle as she accused him of hiding away more than £400 million.

A High Court hearing was told that Mr Young's estranged wife remained empty-handed more than three months after she was awarded £20 million by a judge.

Psychiatrist Dr Rachel Berg told the inquest that Mr Young had previously taken an overdose of sleeping pills and anti-depressants in 2006 but did not show any further signs of self-harm.

But Ms Reno told the inquest that he had previously threatened to harm himself during a severe psychotic breakdown'' in 2012.

He had a knife, it was very scary, but I have never actually seen him actually physically do anything,'' she said.

Dr Nathaniel Cary, a pathologist who carried out a post-mortem examination on Mr Young's body, told the inquest that the cause of death had been multiple injuries consistent with a fall from height and impaling''.

He told the inquest: I concluded that death would have been almost instantaneous upon impact - in other words he would have felt nothing about it.''

Dr Susan Paterson, who conducted a toxicology report, said cocaine was not found in Mr Young's blood following his death.

However, levels of cocaine detected in his hair, which indicated drug use over the last six months, were very, very high,'' she said.