Bar worker died after injury by dog, inquest told

A woman whose death triggered a murder inquiry was found at her partner's home with a severe injury to her face, said to have been caused by one of three pet dogs, a inquest heard.

Bar worker Grace Gardner, 21, was found dead at a property on Wassell Drive, Bewdley, Worcestershire on 23 April.

Her body was later found to contain traces of a synthetic opioid.

A two-day inquest into Ms Gardner's death opened at Worcestershire Coroner's Court in Stourport-on-Severn on Thursday.

Ms Gardner's partner, pub doorman Reece Wilkes, 27, told the court he had met her several weeks previously at a bar in Kidderminster, leading to her staying over at his home for a number of weeks.

As he began his evidence, assistant coroner Deborah Lakin told him he had a right not to incriminate himself and that she could not force him to answer questions.

On the day of Ms Gardner's death, Mr Wilkes told the court he woke up in bed to see a "cut" on her face as she was being licked by his family's pet lurcher.

"I just noticed her laying next to me," he told the inquest.

"I just seen her [the dog] licking round her forehead."

Mr Wilkes said he immediately screamed for help from his mother, who made a 27-minute 999 call for assistance while he was in shock and "just panicked".

He said Ms Gardner had been fine around the dogs and that he was not aware that she had taken tablets or any other drugs, although he had seen her smoke cannabis.

Toxicology evidence put before the court showed the presence of a synthetic opioid described as in court as "street benzos".

The inquest heard it was said to have a sedative and amnesic effect while Ms Gardner was also believed to have "taken or been exposed to" cocaine.

The court was told Mr Wilkes, now of no fixed address, gave a statement to police while he was "under suspicion" of murder, saying he loved Ms Gardner "to bits" and had not caused her any injury.

In separate evidence, Mr Wilkes' mother, Maria Wilkes, who was renting the property on Wassell Drive, said she dialled 999 and performed CPR, having seen tablets on the floor.

She told operators she believed they had been eaten by Ms Gardner and possibly by the dog.

Ms Wilkes also said she had never seen Ms Gardner take any drugs other than cannabis.

She told the inquest: "[Ms Gardner] had got a laceration to the side of her face. I thought, like, one of the dogs had done it."

During the 999 call, the inquest heard, Ms Wilkes mentioned yellow and blue tablets she had seen on the bedroom floor.

The coroner asked Ms Wilkes: "Had you ever seen those tablets before, either on the floor or anywhere else?"

She replied: "No."

Former West Mercia PC Edward Maher told the court in a statement: "I entered the premises which I describe as being in a squalid state.

"I spoke with Reece and Maria briefly. He appeared more upset out of the two. It was generally along the lines of 'I can't believe what has happened'."

The inquest continues.

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