An Accountant who was caught drink driving hanged herself three days later after fearing she would lose her dream job, an inquest has heard.
Marina Watters, 26, was found dead when police were sent to her flat to check on her on April 26 last year.
Just three days earlier she had been charged with being over the alcohol limit while driving.
Miss Watters family became concerned when she didn’t turn up for work and could not be contacted at her home in Dereham, Norfolk.
Norfolk Coroner’s Court heard how police had seen Miss Watters ‘driving erratically’ and ‘swerving from side to side’ behind the wheel of her Audi A1 in Dereham in the early hours of April 23.
She failed a roadside breathalyser test after she was found to be twice the legal limit with 71mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath and she was charged with drink driving.
Miss Watters was released from Wymondham police station, and bailed to appear before Norwich magistrates court in May 2023.
The inquest heard how David Howes, previously of Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust’s liaison diversion team, assessed her mental health during her detainment.
He told the inquest that his assessment of her was a standard procedure routinely carried out for female detainees as they are considered ‘high risk’.
Mr Howes said: ‘She fully engaged with relevant and articulate responses.
‘She was just tearful, regretted her decisions, and said she had made a stupid mistake. She presented as remorseful.
‘She denied having any thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
‘She was just worried about not being able to drive for her job and visiting her grandparents to help them with their shopping.’
Miss Watters was also advised that external agencies might be able to support her before she left the police station.
The hearing was told that a Safety Incident Review had been carried out following her death. Norfolk Area Coroner, Samantha Goward, confirmed that the review flagged no areas of concern, and everything had been ‘in accordance with routine practice.’
Ms Goward recorded a narrative conclusion, saying: ‘Marina Watters died due to a deliberate hanging, but her thought process may have been impacted due to side effects of taking ketamine, so her intent is not known.’
Following her death, Miss Watter’s loved ones paid tribute to her and urged others who may be struggling to ‘speak out’.
Her brother Michael Watters who attended the inquest, said: ‘She was my everything, my rock, I’m deeply hurt, and I cannot imagine how I can move on in life without her.’
Miss Watters who grew up in Dereham was said to have had had a talent for numbers from a young age and went on to fulfil her ambition of becoming a fully qualified chartered Accountant.
As well as enjoying socialising, she was hugely devoted to her family.
Miss Watters’ best friend of five years, Cherise Barnard, 23, said at the time of her death: ‘Marina was the life and soul of everything.
DAILY MAIL
