Woman's toxic pill death 'not suicide', judges say

A woman who died after taking pills containing the toxic substance DNP did not intend to take her own life, judges at the High Court have indicated.

Beth Shipsey, of Worcester, died in February 2017 after taking the tablets that were sold as diet pills.

At an inquest in 2018 a coroner returned a narrative conclusion, but said the 21-year-old had intended to take her own life.

Ms Shipsey's family went to the High Court seeking to have the inquest's finding of suicide overturned - and at the hearing two judges said they would effectively "red line the offending words that suggest Beth intended to take her own life".

However, following the hearing in London, Lady Justice Macur and Mrs Justice Hill's official judgement will be given at a later date.

Reacting to the judges' remarks, Ms Shipsey's father Doug told the BBC he felt "a mixture of ecstasy and being relieved".

Lady Justice Macur told the court: "We do hope that once our judgement is with them that this brings at least this part of the process to an end, so they can focus their grief on their daughter and their loss."

Representing the Shipseys, Chris Williams KC said the family was content not to have another inquest.

Lady Justice Macur said: "That is quite understandable given what they have gone through in the last seven years."

She said the full judgement would be given "as soon as we can".

In 2023, Ms Shipsey's parents said they welcomed DNP's reclassification as poison.

"We've waited for this day for seven years and to actually hear it in a court from judges that they agree that your daughter did not intend to take her own life... and that the coroner's conclusions were wholly wrong is elation," Mr Shipsey said.

"It really is, after seven years and all the expense and the emotional stress that we've been through to get here."

Ms Shipsey's mother Carole, said she believed her daughter's previous history with mental ill health contributed to lack of understanding over the original ruling.

"I feel that we've got part justice for Beth and human rights were extremely important to her particularly around her own mental illness," she said.

"I think there has been a lack of understanding around that. Just the fact that she took multiple overdoses there was an assumption that that is what she wanted to do - take her own life, which was far from the truth."

In a statement, the family's solicitor said the case "sets an important legal precedent".

"[It is] for families seeking justice in relation to inquest conclusions that do not reflect the truth and full reality of their loved one's deaths," the statement added.

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