Inquest: Cambridge dentist took her own life
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- Published: Tuesday, 13 September 2016 07:40
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An inquest in Cambridge into the death of Dr Helen Nicoll has found that she hung herself in the hall of her £1.5million house in the Cambridgeshire village of Great Wilbraham following a violent argument with her husband on June 4, 2015. Her behaviour had become increasingly erratic after a patient of 20 years began trying to sue her in February 2015.
Assistant coroner for Cambridgeshire Simon Milburn recorded a narrative verdict. He said: "June Helen Nicoll died as a result of a self inflicted act, that is the tying of the ligature, but the evidence of her intent why she did that remains unclear." Dr Nathaniel Cary, the consultant forensic pathologist examined her body and said her injuries were consistent with hanging and no third party involvement. Toxicology reports revealed that Mrs Nicoll was one and a half times the drink drive limit and had therapeutic levels of prescription medication.
The Cambridgeshire coroners' court heard that she had pushed her children to excel, especially in music, and was subject to a police investigation over assaulting her eldest daughter Georgia, 22, several years ago. Her frustrations later turned to her middle daughter, Victoria, a talented cellist. The pair became estranged following a violent row in November 2014.
Following the argument Mrs Nicoll developed severe anxiety and depression and became paranoid her husband was having an affair, something he denied. Her husband said that after the patient’s complaint his wife never slept properly and expressed suicidal thoughts immediately after it was lodged. Her drinking also increased over this period and she would consume around three glasses of wine a night. She also confided to her sister that she was thinking about leaving her husband and hated how he wouldn't defend her when their children verbally abused her, the court heard.
Recounting the night his wife died Mr Nicoll told the Court he left work and arrived home around 8pm after stopping for a burger and to buy two bottles of wine which his wife had requested. That evening they had a violent row. During the argument Mr Nicoll said his wife accused him of trying to "brainwash" her children. Eventually he went to bed where he said his wife continued the assault.
Mr Nicoll said the assaults continued throughout the night as he drifted in and out of sleep. Mr Nicoll woke up and went downstairs at around 6am and found his wife hanging in the hallway. The first person he called was his golfing partner to cancel their day, then his children. He didn't call the emergency services until 6.27am.
Following Mrs Nicoll's death her husband was arrested on suspicion of her murder. He was interviewed on June 5 and 8 after police raised suspicions over his wife's death. This included him not immediately calling the emergency services, a prescription of diazepam in Mr Nicoll's name in her handbag and an unexplained bruise to her right eye. DCI Jerry Waite led the investigation and said that despite the bruise he decided to release Mr Nicoll without charge after he found no inconsistencies in his account.
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