Deanne Lewis found hanged made sex abuse claims

A WOMAN was found hanged at her Holloway home after being unable to deal with “painful memories” of alleged sexual abuse she suffered as a child, an inquest has heard.

Deanne Lewis, 24, was found by her boyfriend in the bathroom of her one-bedroom flat in Bennett Court, Axminster Road, following a period in which she drank heavily to “block out painful memories” of the alleged abuse she suffered more than 12 years earlier.

A St Pancras inquest heard on Friday that following Ms Lewis’s death on October 20 last year police found a confidential Islington social services case file in the flat outlining the sex abuse claims she had made when she was 12. The file had been released to Ms Lewis by social services under the Freedom of Information Act.

No charges were ever brought against Ms Lewis’s alleged abuser because she dropped the allegations and the case was closed by police.

Detective Sergeant Robert Ryan told the court: “The investigation was headed by the child protection team, who arrested and interviewed a male. Deanne was placed in the care of her father during the investigation.”

The inquest heard that Ms Lewis’s drinking escalated in the months before her death. Her mother, Doreen Daniels, took her to the A&E department of Whittington Hospital in Archway in May, after Ms Lewis told her she “wished she was dead”.

Mental health nurse Fergel Freeman told the inquest: “Deanne told us she was drinking a bottle and a half of wine every night to block out painful memories. She admitted cutting her wrists and taking an overdose after feeling guilty about the abuse. More recently she said she had thought about tying tights around her neck.”

The court heard Ms Lewis had her own flat – of which she was very proud – and worked as a housing manager. She was also in a long-term relationship. But the court heard she continued to drink heavily and was plagued by bouts of depression.

In a statement, her boyfriend, Basari Jones, told police Ms Lewis had requested her case file from social services and found there were “discrepancies in the statements”.

Recording a verdict of suicide, Deputy Coroner Sean McGovern said: “There are a lot of issues in the background of Deanne’s case. It was certainly the view of Deanne that she had been sexually abused in her past. It is not for me to judge the truth of that. She certainly believed it to be true. 

“Against a background of distress she had turned to alcohol to black out bad memories of her past.”

Speaking outside the court, Det Sgt Ryan said the investigation remain­ed closed. But he added: “We are appealing for persons involved to come forward before a decision is made into whether the matter will be reopened.”

Ms Lewis’s father Brian paid tribute to his daughter, who he described as a “beautiful, charming girl.” He said: “She lit up every room. I’m completely devastated by what happened. I loved her dearly.”    

Anyone with information, can contact Det Sgt Ryan on 020 7421 0195.
JOSIE HINTON