Britain’s Got Talent dancer died of suicide after ‘child sexual offending’ arrest

A coroner has ruled that a Britain’s Got Talent dancer died of suicide three days after she was arrested on suspicion of “child sex offending”.

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.

An inquest held at Winchester was told the 38-year-old was arrested on June 4 and questioned at a police station about the “sexual” offence, which she denied.

She was then reported missing and was found at a hotel in Woking, Surrey, on June 5 and was admitted to St Peter’s Hospital, Surrey, having taken an overdose.

She had spent the previous night sleeping in a garage having drunk a bottle of Malibu.

Ms Donaldson was placed under a “high risk care plan” on June 5 but she was released from hospital on June 6 into the care of a home treatment team after she was assessed to have “settled”.

She was found dead at her home the following morning.

Coroner Jason Pegg said he was recording a conclusion of suicide for Ms Donaldson.

Serina Juru, a psychiatric liaison nurse who carried out a mental health assessment of Ms Donaldson, told the four-day inquest she assessed the dancer as being of “high and imminent risk of suicide” and rated her risk as 10 out of 10 on the evening of June 5.

But the further Mental Health Act assessment by three mental health professionals on June 6 deemed her suitable for release from hospital into the care of a home treatment team, the inquest heard.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Martin Williams told the hearing: “We considered the possibility she was masking a higher level of risk than she was saying but all the indications were that she was settling and the risk was markedly reduced from the previous day.”

Dr Williams said Ms Donaldson had refused to disclose the nature of the offence she was accused of but told him she no longer believed she was “definitely going to go to prison”.

The coroner said the second assessment had been “hindered” by not being presented with the full notes made by Ms Juru and by three “assumptions” made by Dr Williams.

These assumptions included that Ms Donaldson had raised the alarm herself after she had taken the overdose at the hotel and that she had been drunk when assessed by Ms Juru.

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The third assumption was that the offence alleged against Ms Donaldson was “unlikely to be a sexual violence offence and a custodial sentence was unlikely” because of the terms of the bail conditions she had been given by police.

Mr Pegg said: “It’s concerning the assessment (by Ms Juru) was not read and considered.

“The incorrect assumptions downplayed the risk presented by Kerri. In the comments made 14 hours earlier Kerri was clearly and eloquently asserting a wish to end her life.

“The absence of the valuable and relevant information from nurse Juru’s assessment, then making and applying assumptions that were wrong, must have led to the Mental Health Act assessment being hindered.”

The coroner added: “What is clear from the Mental Health Act assessment is that Kerri was expressing a clear desire to get home on June 6.

“Kerri was this person described as engaging, articulate, intelligent, she was a performer, it’s more likely than not that Kerri was a person, because of her engaging personality, her intelligence, that she was able to mask her true thoughts from those assessing her and those thoughts being an intention to end her life.

“She had the ability to put on a front to get back to her home.

“Kerri intended throughout that once in her own home and alone she would have an opportunity without interruption to take her own life.”

The inquest heard that her sister, Cara Donaldson, took her home from hospital but left her alone that night after Ms Donaldson had reassured her she was OK.

Ms Donaldson was found the next morning when Cara returned to her sister’s home.

The inquest heard that the song You Are So Beautiful was playing on repeat when Ms Donaldson was found.

Describing her sister, Cara said: “Heart of gold, full of fun, brought happiness to life, career driven, adored her family, adored her friends, fantastic dance teacher, everyone loved her.”

She said her sister had been on television a few times and added: “Her main passion was to choreograph dancing.”

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.