Uckfield woman’s death was accidental

Initially police thought Carly Mae Welby had been assaulted when they were called to her maisonette in Luxford Close on the afternoon of February 1.

An inquest at Eastbourne Town Hall on Thursday (October 29) heard the 38-year-old was on a police high risk register of domestic violence from her fiancee Stuart Higgs, who had previously tried to strangle her and broken her ribs.

Mr Higgs, who had been served with restraining orders to keep away from Mrs Welby, whom he had been in a relationship with for six years, told officers he found her ‘with blue lips and not breathing’ in her bedroom and called the emergency services.

Paramedics tried to resuscitate her but she died at the scene.

The inquest was told Mrs Welby, a divorcee, had a history of mental health problems and drug and alcohol dependency.

She had also attempted to take her own life several times over a long period of time but East Sussex coroner Alan Craze said he did not believe that to be the case on this occasion.

A post mortem revealed that Mrs Welby, described as a heavy drinker, had died of multiple drug toxicity.

Mr Craze recorded a verdict that Mrs Welby’s death had been accidental.