A MAN fell to his death from the balcony of a third-floor flat after he climbed over it and tried to descend the building while fearing for his safety, an inquest heard.

Gary Henderson, 64, travelled in a taxi from Harwich to a party at the block in Duke Street in Ipswich.

Mr Henderson travelled in the taxi with Timothy Gill, who knew the flat’s occupant Rebecca Hibble, Monday’s hearing in Ipswich was told.

Maintenance man Mr Henderson was pronounced dead by paramedics at 2.36am on June 24, 2020.

Nigel Parsley, senior coroner for Suffolk, recorded Mr Henderson medical cause of death as severe traumatic head injuries.

Mr Parsley said: “Gary Henderson died when, fearing for his safety, he climbed over the balcony of a third-floor flat and while attempting to climb down lost his footing and fell to the ground below”

“It was the first occasion Gary had visited the premises and he had no previous knowledge of the property.”

A post-mortem examination recorded that Mr Henderson had 313 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, which was likely to result in an extreme degree of intoxication in an average social drinker.

The legal alcohol limit for driving in England is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

Matthew Connick, detective inspector at Suffolk Police said: “I believe Gary ended up on that balcony because he was in fear of what was happening inside that flat.

“Alcohol plays a factor in some of that in terms of decision making.”

Mr Henderson’s cousin Paul Henderson, who attended the inquest, asked the officer if he believed that the “flat door had been blocked to Gary or he felt too fearful to go to the door”.

Mr Connick said: “I think in terms of what his options may have been to him he seemed to think the balcony was the best option to him rather than walking past Karl Horsnell, who was also in the flat, and Rebecca Hibble.”

Mr Horsnell, Ms Hibble and Mr Gill were initially arrested on suspicion of murder, with Mr Gill released and the two others re-arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, before Mr Horsnell and Ms Hibble were released without charge.

Gary’s sister Kim Henderson told the inquest: “He had a very good character but was a bit naïve as he thought everybody was his friend.

“Unfortunately his luck ran out after trusting some dubious people.”