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NARRATIVE VERDICT

INQUEST TOUCHING THE DEATH OF VALERIE STEADMAN

Inquest concluded July 2016

Valerie Steadman died as a result of crush injuries to the pelvis and chest. Valerie Steadman would have died instantly as a result of these injuries and the delay in the arrival of the emergency services is not deemed to be a factor in this case.

On the night of April 12th 2016, Valerie Steadman was staying at Wynhope House as a guest of her half-sister Diana, Lady Helyarr. She was sleeping in the guest room on the top floor of the East Wing known as the Tower.

At 3.25 a.m. on the morning of April 13th, there was an earthquake of magnitude 5.4 (Richter scale) at a depth of 2.3 miles, the epicentre of which was approximately 3 miles from Wynhope House. An earthquake of 4.7–5.6 occurs in the UK every 10 years, an earthquake of 5.6 or larger every 100 years. Six buildings within a 10-mile radius of the epicentre suffered significant structural damage rendering them temporarily uninhabitable, a further 38 buildings suffered minor structural damage and there were a total of 3 fatalities attributed to the earthquake. Both the main section of Wynhope House and the adjoining Tower remained standing although structural damage to the joists joining the two parts of the residence was apparent.

At 3.37 a.m. on the morning of April 13th, there was a lesser aftershock of magnitude 4.6 (Richter scale). The combination of the two tremors and the disturbance to the foundations of the building caused by the recent excavation of a basement extension led the Tower to separate from the main house and collapse. The quality of, regulations pertaining to, and planning in regard of, the excavation are subject to a separate inquiry.

Valerie Steadman’s body was located beneath the rubble by the Fire and Rescue Service at the bottom of the staircase in the Tower in the area immediately inside and adjacent to the ground-floor front door at 10.09 a.m., April 13th.

The door leading from the first floor of the Tower to the first-floor landing of the main house and the door leading from the ground floor of the Tower wing directly onto the drive were both locked at the time the earthquake occurred. Despite an extensive search by forensic services, the key to these doors has not been found.

Minor bruising and cuts to Valerie Steadman’s knees and shins were commensurate with a fall on the spiral staircase in the Tower and were acquired prior to death. Bruising to both hands on the knuckles and damage to fingernails on the right hand were consistent with injuries likely to have been sustained while trying to open one or both of the wooden doors.

As the doors were locked by person or persons unknown and for reasons not established and as there is no clear indication as to why the key was not readily available to expedite the deceased’s escape between the first and second shocks, and bearing in mind that had the doors been unlocked the deceased may have escaped alive, the consequences of the doors being locked are both significant and enduring and therefore the jury in this matter records a narrative verdict.

Peter D. Merland

HM Coroner