Shirebrook woman died after 'cry for help that went tragically wrong'

A Shirebrook woman died after a 'cry for help that went tragically wrong', a coroner has ruled.
The Coroner's Court, Basil Close, Chesterfield, where the inquest was held.The Coroner's Court, Basil Close, Chesterfield, where the inquest was held.
The Coroner's Court, Basil Close, Chesterfield, where the inquest was held.

Julie Rollingson was found by her partner with a ligature around her neck on a staircase outside her flat on Lincoln Way, North Wingfield, on Friday, February 27.

Her inquest was told she was rushed to hospital, but died later that day.

The 36-year-old had a long history of mental health problems including bipolar disorder.

James Newman, assistant coroner for Derbyshire, said: “I have great sympathy for anyone who has to deal with mental health.

“I believe this was a cry for help that went tragically wrong.”

The inquest heard how on Friday, February 27 Miss Rollingson asked 57-year-old Gerald Sharrod, her partner of 17 years, to go to the pharmacy and get her some paracetamol for pain in her stomach.

After visiting the chemist and the Co-op supermarket, unemployed Mr Sharrod returned to the flat to find Miss Rollingson was not there.

He said: “I came back out of the flat and passed the stairs and that’s when I saw her.

“I panicked and went to my next-door neighbour and asked for his help, because I did not know what to do.”

Security guard Karl Hickman, Mr Jarrod’s neighbour, said he had been visiting his mum in the morning before returning to his home.

He told the inquest: “I was messing about with my printer and then there was this almighty loud bang and shouting. It was Gerald - I did not know what was happening.

They managed to get the ligature off Miss Rollingson, called for paramedics and performed resuscitation before emergency services arrived.

Mr Jarrod said: “It was just like a nightmare. It seemed like a nightmare.”

PC Gary Stirling told the inquest that a search of the police national computer found a “warning marker” against Miss Rollingson’s name, following an apparent previous attempt to harm herself in 1999.

Miss Rollingson’s three sisters, Melissa, Emma and Kelly, and her mum, Elaine, all attended the inquest at Chesterfield Coroner’s Court on Friday, November 18.

Mr Newman said: “I wish I can say that a conclusion of an inquest waves a magic wand but it does not.”

He concluded Miss Rollingson died as a result of misadventure.

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