A ‘beautiful’ dancer was strangled to death by her boyfriend who then took his own life later that day, an inquest has heard.
She suffered cardiac arrest
Georgia May Brooke died in hospital on February 4 last year after she was found to be in cardiac arrest as a result of ‘manual strangulation’ at a home in Bradford, a hearing was told.
The 26-year-old dancer had been in a relationship with Luke James Cannon, who was found dead later that day.
Details of her death
A previous inquest was told that Georgia had died at Bradford Royal Infirmary as a result of ‘manual strangulation’ in association with ‘party drug’ GHB and cocaine.
Details of the circumstances around their deaths were heard at two pre-inquest reviews at Bradford Coroner’s Court ahead of full inquests, which are due to be held next year.
The first pre-inquest review focused on questions to be raised about the death of Georgia.
Inquest process
Senior coroner Martin Fleming described Georgia’s death as a ‘terrible tragedy‘ and outlined some of the issues and evidence that would be heard at Georgia’s inquest.
He said the inquest would look at events in the days and weeks leading up to Georgia’s death, including who she was with and she was doing.
It would also look at her relationship with Luke, how they met, messages they had sent one another and the reason she was at his home before she died.
The inquest will review evidence relating to what happened in the bedroom, whether the pair had consensual sex and if Georgia had been under the influence of drugs.
Mr Fleming said the inquest would consider if there was any evidence that Luke had intended to cause Georgia serious harm or to end her life, and whether he was under the influence of drugs at the time.
Harry Laidlaw, a lawyer representing Georgia’s family, said the ‘critical question’ related to ‘how’ she had died, the medical cause of death and the events leading directly to her death.
He said there were ‘ten or so minutes before consciousness was lost.’
