Boyfriend leapt to death after shoving partner out of eighth-floor window in Peckham

Renata Poncova was pushed out of an eighth-floor window by her boyfriend

An aspiring lawyer died after being pushed out of an eighth-floor window by her boyfriend who then leapt to his own death, an inquest heard.

Renata Poncova, 33, was killed by Tony Taylor, also 33, after a violent struggle at their home.

Neighbours heard screams from the flat before finding the couple fatally injured, having plunged to the ground from their bedroom window in the block in Peckham.

Southwark coroner's court heard police believe Ms Poncova had been hit in the face by Mr Taylor before he opened the window and shoved her out.

Traces of her blood were found on the bedroom furniture, wall and window frame, while fingerprints suggested she had tried to cling on during the attack just before midnight on November 2 last year.

The court was told Ms Poncova had wanted to become a lawyer in her native Slovakia. She moved to London to study languages and worked as a shop assistant.

Mr Taylor’s teenage daughter told the inquest that her father had slipped into “a spiral of depression” after losing his job as a tech developer.

Mr Taylor, who was born in Barbados, also feared he would be deported after losing his job and being contacted by immigration to discuss issues with his passport, the court was told. The day before their deaths, she had tried to get help for her partner’s “mental anguish”, taking him to hospital for an emergency consultation.

However, they left before seeing a doctor. Ms Poncova later texted a friend to say they had almost crashed their car on the way home due to a fight. “He really scared me,” she wrote. “I can’t really push him, he said he’d do something stupid. I hardly got him home.”

Giving evidence about their deaths, Detective Sergeant Daniel Catmull said Ms Poncova had bruises on her arm that suggested she had been lifted up and pushed out of the window.

“My conclusion was that Mr Taylor has opened the window. That is because of the prints from him and the position of them,” he added.

Assistant Southwark Coroner Henrietta Hill QC ruled that Ms Poncova had been unlawfully killed and Mr Taylor died as a result of suicide.

For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 116 123, visit a local Samaritans branch or online at www.samaritans.org

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