To view original article click here
Hastings and St Leonards Observer
Published: 08:00 Monday 16 May 2011
A RETIRED nurse was discovered dead in the bathroom by her partner in the middle of the night after she overdosed on medication.
Jean Kingshott, 59, of Clifton Road, took a mixture of sleeping pills, anti-depressants and alcohol before she was found by Michael Sinden.
An inquest into her death, which happened on August 29 last year, was held on Wednesday. Mr Sinden said that his partner had gone drinking at the pub the afternoon before she died. He said that he did not see her until he found Mrs Kingshott in the bathroom just before 2am the next day. He said she was “on her hands and knees” and found a large number of empty blister packs of tablets in the kitchen.
Mrs Kingshott’s GP, Dr Francis Howie, said she had suffered from alcohol abuse and depression for quite a number of years, which got worse in 2006 because of work and a divorce. But he said: “She had been quite upbeat when I last saw her so I was amazed to hear about her death. This came as a complete shock to me.”
Mrs Kingshott’s daughter, Anne-Marie White, said her mother’s marriage began to break down 11 years ago. She said: “Mum began to drink more heavily than in the past and four years ago I started to see the effects it was having on her. “She had the shakes and her memory was affected. “Just days before she died she was talking about plans for the future and making plans for Christmas.”
Coroner Alan Craze recorded a verdict of suicide.