According to an inquest, a police force investigating the murder of a young mother refused to share CCTV photographs of a guy she was seen kissing hours earlier because it would “breach his human rights”.
Jamie Smith, 23, died after falling from a multi-story car park in Portsmouth during a night out in November of last year.
Traces of the drug ketamine were discovered in her system, and her distraught family believes she was spiked by an anonymous male she was seen within a bar that night.
Smith’s mother, Julie Stephenson, has encouraged Hampshire police detectives to release photographs of the stranger in the hopes of determining why her daughter died.
However, a detective sergeant who testified at the inquest stated that while the force attempted to locate the guy, they were unable to share CCTV footage because it would be “against his human rights”.
Smith spent the afternoon before her death at a Christmas market. However, after meeting an unnamed male, she went to Wiggle, an adult entertainment club in Portsmouth, where CCTV footage showed the couple kissing.
Footage of her dying moments showed her unstable on her feet as she exited the club alone, followed by an unidentified male around 30 seconds later.
Smith had explored the city streets alone in the early hours before going to a multi-story car park, where she fell from a first-floor wall, according to the inquest transcript. Her phone was found down a drain near the club.
The police had made efforts to identify the individual, but vital CCTV equipment at the club was not operational, the till was not logging client information, and facial recognition software produced no matches.
Coroner Nicholas Walker concluded that it was a “very sad and very tragic accident,” with the fall resulting from a combination of ketamine and alcohol.
However, Smith’s family believes she was spiked and would not have taken the medications freely.
Ms Stephenson stated, “She’s my daughter, and I know she wouldn’t have done that on a Wednesday night.”
“She went to a Christmas market wearing a hoodie and trainers. She is not going to go out and get smashed and do drugs, especially since it is her daughter’s birthday the next day.
She stated, “I’m still not and will never be happy with the way it’s been dealt with…” I just don’t believe he’s been sought for hard enough.”
Jamie’s sister, Jodie Quinn, stated that she would not have taken ketamine willingly.
She stated, “She’d be too terrified. She was afraid to consume expired bread. She didn’t go out that night for a big night out. I found it unusual that Jamie would attend to a dancing strip club as a 23-year-old girl.
Det Sgt Matthew Egginton said police were unable to identify the guy she was with, despite a witness appeal and the use of facial recognition technology.
However, he stated that they were unable to print and distribute the image more broadly.
“He is not a suspect; we cannot release his photograph because it violates his human rights,” Mr Egginton added.
The officer stated that they had thoroughly examined the CCTV tape to see whether there was any proof of Smith’s beverages being spiked, but nothing unusual had been discovered.
According to him: “From a police perspective, and this is very difficult for the family to hear, he was a witness.”
Det Chief Insp Gemma Hunter stated: “Following Jamie Smith’s death on Thursday, November 23, 2023, a thorough police investigation was conducted to determine the particular circumstances of her death and whether any connected criminal offenses had been committed.
“The case was then transferred to the Coroner, who was able to continue the inquiry at the Inquest.
“During the investigation, we considered if any specific witness appeals would be necessary to move our investigations forward. Based on the evidence collected by investigators evaluating CCTV footage of Jamie’s movements, there was no investigative need, nor would it have been appropriate, to release any photographs to the public.
“An individual specifically referred to at the subsequent inquest was considered as part of this assessment; there were no grounds to suspect his involvement in any criminal offenses and it was clear from inquiries he would not have been able to assist us with information regarding Jamie’s subsequent movements.”
‘No proof of spiking.’
Mr Walker concluded that there was “no evidence” to suggest she was spiked.
He stated, “The family suggests there are suspicions, and they do not believe she would not have taken it herself.” I’ve heard that she had used recreational drugs.
“As a matter of common sense, we learned from the police officer that the purpose of spiking is to remain with the person who was spiked. The individual who was with her did not remain with her.
Mr Walker ruled out suicide but described the car park as an “unusual” location for someone to be.
“In my mind, the fact she was there is best understood by the fact she had ketamine and alcohol in her body,” he told me.
“In my opinion, she made her way to the wall and sat on it; there was no rapid movement preceding the fall. It suggests that it was more likely an accident than something Jamie meant.
“She utterly miscalculated, or misjudged, because of the ketamine and booze. Her disastrous and deadly fall was caused by a combination of misjudgments. I’m not convinced this was anything other than a very sad accident.
Mr Walker stated that he could not claim the unknown person had done anything wrong.
He stated: “I make no conclusions about whether that person did anything improper, but it is unfortunate that I have not been able to hear from that person.
“But my shame pales in contrast to what the family must have felt when they wanted to question him. I do not criticize the police at all.”
He concluded that the death was accidental.
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