Inquest hears BGT dancer talked of taking own life

An inquest has heard a Britain's Got Talent semi-finalist had spoken of taking her own life, if an allegation about a sexual offence became known.

Kerri-Anne Donaldson, who reached the semi-final of the ITV show in 2014 as part of the dance group Kings and Queens, was found dead at her home in Farnborough, Hampshire, on June 7, 2023.

The inquest in Winchester heard that the 38-year-old was arrested on June 4 and questioned at Basingstoke police station about the sexual offence, which she denied.

Donaldson was later found at a hotel in Woking, Surrey, having taken an overdose. She was taken to hospital and then discharged. She was found hanged at her home on the following day.

Detective Constable Benjamin Harris, of Hampshire Constabulary, led the investigation into the accusation.

He told the inquest that the person making the claim had said that Donaldson had told them that she would take her own life "if someone finds out" about the allegation.

Harris said that he had considered the possibility that Donaldson's reported comments could be a "form of control" against the complainant.

He said he reported the comments to his senior officers and advised his colleagues, who subsequently arrested Donaldson.

Harris said that after the interview he graded Donaldson's risk of self-harm as "standard" and said "she had no indication that she wanted to take her own life".

He added that the police did not have the powers to detain someone unless they presented an "imminent" danger to themselves.

A post-mortem examination gave a cause of death of hanging and found that she had non-fatal levels of medication in her blood which were consistent with an overdose, the inquest heard.

The hearing continues.

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