Teenage girl plunged to her death after police 'didn't believe' her rape claims

Sara Clark, 18, was found under a bridge spanning the M27 near Southampton, Hampshire, on June 2 this year after a motorist drove over her and raised the alarm.

Southampton Coroner's Court heard that Sara had fallen from the bridge above and was unconscious and dying in the carriageway from severe head injuries when the car hit her.

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The hearing was told that Sara had complained to police on May 30 that she suffered a serious sexual assault near her home in Calmore.

Before the inquest her parents said they felt their daughter had killed herself because officers had not believed her and had not taken the allegations of the assault seriously.

Detective constable Paul Travers, who was investigating the complaint, told the inquest that the allegations by Sara had taken the "normal course of events" and that the investigations was in its early stages when she died.

The case was referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) by Hampshire police at the time of Sara's death.

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IPCC investigator Alexander Ives told the court that there were recommendations in his report, which cannot be released at the moment for legal reasons, to improve keeping alleged victims of crime informed about what was happening.

A post-mortem examination found that Sara was three times over the drink drive limit when she fell and her GP said she had been treated for depression in the past.

Southampton Coroner Keith Wiseman told the hearing that Sara was "troubled in her personal life".

Her father Howell said everything had "seemed perfectly normal" when he had last seen his daughter but he instinctively knew she was dead when he switched on the radio and heard news about the death.

The coroner recored an open verdict and Mr Wiseman said he could not be sure beyond reasonable doubt that Sara had intended to take her life.

He said he was not naive and there was a "reasonable possibility" she had intended to take her life but he could not be sure as there were no eyewitnesses and no note was left.

He also said she was significantly drunk and this would have affected her judgment.

"Speaking to her parents he said: "This must have been a devastating blow for both of you."

Last month Jagat Mawari, 30, of Goodwood Gardens, Calmore, was charged with the rape of Sara Clark.