Rudheath woman who fell onto M56 judged ‘no risk’ that day

At 6.30pm on Friday, October 4, last year, Yvonne Lawrence took a taxi from her supported living home on East Avenue to a pub in Stretton, where she ate alone and drank a small amount of alcohol. The 60-year-old left the pub at around 8pm and made her way to a nearby bridge where it crosses an unlit section of the M56. Onlookers tried but failed to stop her climbing over the barrier, where she cast off her coat, hat, and scarf, before falling onto the westbound carriageway.

At her inquest at Cheshire Coroners' Court on Friday, August 29, assistant coroner Sarah Murphy, said it was 'impossible to tell whether the catastrophic injuries which caused her tragic death were caused by the fall, or the unknown number of vehicles which struck her'. Yvonne, who was single and not working due to ill heath, had received a home visit from a mental health nurse from Vale Royal Community Mental Health Trust (VRCMHT), Emma Grocott, earlier that day. Ms Grocott told the court Yvonne had expressed extreme and sustained delusional beliefs during the one-a-half-hour assessment which had 'raised red flags', yet she concluded her patient 'presented no immediate danger to herself that day'.

Ms Grocott made an appointment for Yvonne to see a consultant psychiatrist the following Monday, and accepted her refusal of support over the weekend. "On that day, I judged she had capacity to make decisions about her immediate support and care," Ms Grocott told the court. Yvonne had a long history of serious mental health problems going back to 2005, including suicide attempts and detentions under the Mental Health Act, as well as a spell in prison.

Yvonne's death came days before she was due to be sentenced for drink-driving and leaving the scene of a collision after a crash she was involved in on Middlewich Road in November 2023. She told her sister, Anita Smith, she 'would not go back to prison' as the previous time had been 'the worst experience' of her life. Yvonne had pleaded not guilty to all three offences at Chester Magistrates' Court, but failed to attend her trial on August 7, 2024.

She was found guilty in her absence but did not answer bail for her sentence hearing on September 6, and a warrant was issued for her arrest. While she was in custody, Cheshire Police detention officer, Custody Sergeant Cummings, had noted on her risk assessment she had attempted suicide or self-harm in the past, but had not expressed any intention to do so following her latest arrest. An Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigation also found Sergeant Cummings had failed to refer Yvonne to the force's Liaison and Diversion Service, which supports vulnerable people through court proceedings, despite one of its professionals being on duty at the time.

The IPCC ruled while Sergeant Cummings had complied with Cheshire Police's detention policy, he had 'failed to use its screening tool correctly, which led to missed opportunities to provide support while in custody'. It also concluded Sergeant Cummings' behaviour 'did not amount to misconduct, but fell below best practice', and recommended 'reflective practice be implemented going forward'. Concluding the inquest, Ms Murphy ruled Yvonne's death had not been contributed to by neglect on the part of VRCHMT, which had 'pro-actively engaged with her in the days leading up to her death'.

She added: "Ms Lawrence had told Nurse Grocott she did not intend to harm herself on October 4, therefore it would be speculative to conclude a full Mental Health Act assessment would have been sufficient to prevent her death. "I agree with the police internal investigation findings. I find the evidence of suicide ideation in custody inconsistent, and it is disappointing Ms Lawrence wasn't referred to the Liaison and Diversion Service, especially as there was a practitioner from that service on the premises at the time.

"However, it would be speculative to conclude this would have led to an earlier referral to mental health services, as this would have depended on how Ms Lawrence presented, and what she said. "Therefore, I do not find the failure to refer her could have contributed more than trivially to her death." Ms Murphy recorded a cause of death of trauma resulting from falling from a bridge with an intention to take her own life.

She also ruled there was no third party involvement in Yvonne's death. Turning to Yvonne's 10 family members present, Ms Murphy added: "All that is left is for me to extend to you all the sincere condolences of this court. "That so many family members are in attendance here today is great testament to how much Yvonne was loved.

"I would also like to publicly thank those members of the public who tried to intervene on the bridge.

"I hope it is some comfort to you all to know Yvonne was cared for until the very end."