Student, 18, dies after slipping and falling from third floor staircase in Manchester university halls tragedy

01.03.2022 - 23:05 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk

A ‘funny and outgoing’ freshers student died after falling from the third floor of his university halls, an inquest heard.

William King, 18, slipped and fell from a bannister just a month after he had enrolled at Manchester Manchester Metropolitan University.

He fractured his spine and sustained unsurvivable head injuries from the fall and tragically died in hospital, with his family by his side, days later.

An inquest into his death concluded at Manchester coroner’s court on February 21.

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The court heard how William, who had moved up to study from his family home in London, had been enjoying some drinks at his friend Jasmine’s flat, directly above his, on the third floor of Cambridge South Halls, Cavendish Street.

When the group of friends decided they wanted to go out to the courtyard, on the ground floor, William went ahead and said that he ‘knew a shortcut’.

He then jumped on the barrier at the top of the staircase, before his hand was seen to slip and he fell to the ground.

He was rushed to Manchester Royal Infirmary by paramedics before being transferred to Salford Royal Hospital a day later, on October 30.

He died with his family by his side just over a week later, on November 9.

In a witness statement, friend Tom Carter said that William had ‘not drunk excessively’ on the night of the fall.

He said: “We had been listening to music and drinking. I knew he had been drinking but not excessively.

"He was still aware of what was happening around him.

“We decided we wanted to relax in the courtyard and as we walked out of the front door of the flat, William was ahead of me.

“The situation changed in a split-second.

"I saw