Scientist jumped around 200 feet to her death from cliffs at Chapman’s Pool in Dorset (From Thisisdorset)

Scientist jumped around 200 feet to her death from cliffs at Chapman’s Pool in Dorset

11:30am Wednesday 19th November 2008

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A SCIENTIST jumped around 200 feet to her death from cliffs at a Dorset beauty spot, an inquest was told.

Sally Banham was found in the sea at Chapman’s Pool, near Swanage, on July 5 this year.

A post-mortem examination showed she died of multiple injuries including a fractured skull and spine consistent with a fall from a height.

Coroner Sheriff Payne at Bournemouth, Poole and East Dorset Coroner’s Court recorded a suicide verdict. He said: “She did go down to cliffs at Swanage and was pulled from the sea with very severe injuries consistent with a fall from a height. She left a note making it quite clear she was going to end her life.”

Miss Banham, 39, who studied at Cambridge University and then gained a PhD in environmental chemistry at the University of East Anglia, was full of guilt and grief at her father’s death from cancer in April 1999, the inquest was told.

She became unable to cope after her mother repeatedly tried to kill herself and was later diagnosed with dementia, Mr Payne heard.

Pain from a reccurring knee injury also meant the keen sportswoman could not enjoy her hobbies of sailing, windsurfing, climbing and walking. Her relationship broke down and she moved in to her mother’s house in Romsey, Hampshire, to take up a new job in Cadnam.

Miss Banham, who grew up in Winchester, became depressed and tried to kill herself after drinking alcohol. She had been released from a psychiatric hospital for the second time on June 5 when she went missing weeks later, on June 28.

Her sister Carol Banham became worried when she did not answer the phone and found a suicide note at her house. Police found her car parked nearby at Durlston Head before finding her body in the sea.

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