A TALENTED musician died at a mental health hospital after having a serious mental health episode on her way home from a gig in the North-East, an inquest heard.

Mina Topley-Bird, 24, who had been singing with her band 404 in Newcastle in May 2019, died days later after being found hanging in her room at West Park Hospital, Darlington.

The musician, who had just signed a five album record deal, had a history of schizophrenia and psychosis, an inquest held by the Durham and Darlington Coroner at Redhills, in Durham, heard.

Outlining the case to the jury, Coroner James Thompson said: “She was a well-travelled and talented young woman.

“She had sadly suffered from mental illness for some years and had received treatment in the South West and London for the last few years of her life.”

The inquest heard Miss Topley-Bird, who is the daughter of trip hop star Tricky and singer Martina Topley-Bird, had felt the Newcastle gig had not gone well and believed people had laughed. 

Jurors were told she was having a psychotic episode on the train home to London on Sunday, May 5 and exited in Darlington, followed by her friend and band member Brendan Murphy.

In a statement, which was read to the court, Mr Murphy said he had tried to stop her from walking into the path of fast-moving cars.

After deciding to seek help locally rather than continue with their journey, they took a taxi to Darlington Memorial Hospital’s accident and emergency department, where Miss Topley-Bird was admitted after trying to stab herself in the neck with a pen in the reception. 

She was moved to West Park Hospital later that night and was receiving treatment voluntarily, jurors were told.

She was treated on the Elm ward for three days  and was found hanging in her room at about 4pm on Wednesday, May 8. 

The inquest heard Miss Topley-Bird had a history of self-harm and had been admitted to hospital on several occasions.

Dr Madeleine Kerr, a consultant psychiatrist with South London and Maudsley (SLAM) NHS Foundation Trust, who had treated Miss Topley-Bird in London since 2017 said the musician heard “derogatory and negative” voices which encouraged her to harm herself.

She added she was making progress in her treatment and had discussed strategies for coping with stressful situations, like going on tour, which could trigger an episode. 

Dr Kerr said: “She engaged very well and was very open with me. I felt she was making progress but she had quite a severe destabilising illness.

“She was living a life and carrying on, despite difficulties. It’s a difficult tightrope but she walked it well.” 

The inquest heard Miss Topley-Bird had expected to be transferred to a hospital in London on the Tuesday or Wednesday that week but it had not happened because a bed was not available.

When asked about that situation, Dr Kerr said: “Unfortunately the resources we have available to support mental health cases are not what we would hope so we always have to make a decision about which cases are in most need of resources.”

She added she would have been “reassured” that Miss Topley-Bird was in hospital. 

Jurors also heard from Clinical Psychologist Dr Sonia Burrows, who helped Ms Topley-Bird deal with psychosis.

Lisa Conlon, Miss Topley-Bird’s aunt, read an emotional statement to the court on behalf of the family, describing her successes and struggles with mental illness.

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Telling jurors about her successes at school and achieving a place at Manchester University, she added: “It’s extraordinary she achieved so much.”

Describing her as “kind, gentle, clever, fun, lovable and humble.” she also said she loved reading, listening to music and writing poetry and lyrics.

She said: “She had trouble with mental illness. She told me she didn’t want to die but she was scared because the voices in her head never really went away.

“They were overbearing and always derogatory, telling her she had killed others and had to kill herself before she did more damage. After the psychosis she knew she could never hurt anyone but in it she believed it and felt overwhelming urges to kill herself. 

“Over time she worked really hard to get better.”

She added: “Mina was remarkable in fighting her disease.” 

Mr Murphy said she had not been drinking or taking drugs and was proud to have been clear of them for at least a year, as she was aware of their effect on her mental health.

The coroner said the main topics of the inquest would be how Ms Topley-Bird came to be assessed at Darlington Memorial Hospital and her admission to West Park Hospital – run by the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys Mental Health Trust and which provides mental health care – as well as how information was shared with the SLAM NHS Trust and what measures were taken to transfer her back to London.

The inquest, expected to last four days, continues.

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