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| Belfast woman's skeletal remains found 19 months after her disappearance | Belfast woman's skeletal remains found 19 months after her disappearance |
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| The skeletal remains of a Northern Irish woman who had been missing for 19 months was found under a 6ft pile of rubbish, an inquest in Belfast has heard. | The skeletal remains of a Northern Irish woman who had been missing for 19 months was found under a 6ft pile of rubbish, an inquest in Belfast has heard. |
| Julie Ann Watson's body was so badly decomposed that no cause of death could be determined. The coroner, Jim Kitson, described the fate of the troubled 37-year-old as "desperately sad and tragic". | Julie Ann Watson's body was so badly decomposed that no cause of death could be determined. The coroner, Jim Kitson, described the fate of the troubled 37-year-old as "desperately sad and tragic". |
| She had to be identified by DNA records after her remains were found in the Donegall Avenue area of south Belfast in April 2011, metres from where she lived. | She had to be identified by DNA records after her remains were found in the Donegall Avenue area of south Belfast in April 2011, metres from where she lived. |
| Watson was last seen alive in August 2009, and her final bank activity was a month later, the police said. The mother of three was known to be a heavy drinker and also sniffed solvents – a can of aerosol was found beside her body. | Watson was last seen alive in August 2009, and her final bank activity was a month later, the police said. The mother of three was known to be a heavy drinker and also sniffed solvents – a can of aerosol was found beside her body. |
| The coroner said: "It appears quite clear that Julie's life was out of control and sadly it appears Julie was in the grips of some sort of alcoholism or addiction." | The coroner said: "It appears quite clear that Julie's life was out of control and sadly it appears Julie was in the grips of some sort of alcoholism or addiction." |
| Kitson said after a divorce and subsequent spiral into depression her life had "dropped off the radar". She had stayed with friends or in hostels but later moved into a property at Kitchener Street, close to where her body was found, with a friend called Joseph Blair. | Kitson said after a divorce and subsequent spiral into depression her life had "dropped off the radar". She had stayed with friends or in hostels but later moved into a property at Kitchener Street, close to where her body was found, with a friend called Joseph Blair. |
| Blair told police she tended to leave for weeks at a time and he did not consider them to be in a relationship. After she left in August 2009 he said he assumed she was living somewhere else. Blair was interviewed by police but he was not connected to the death. | Blair told police she tended to leave for weeks at a time and he did not consider them to be in a relationship. After she left in August 2009 he said he assumed she was living somewhere else. Blair was interviewed by police but he was not connected to the death. |
| Watson's brother William had not seen her since 2006, and a close friend said she had become afraid to leave her home. Nicola Johnston recalled Watson drinking from morning to night, litre after litre of cider. "She was sitting crying like a baby," Johnston added. | Watson's brother William had not seen her since 2006, and a close friend said she had become afraid to leave her home. Nicola Johnston recalled Watson drinking from morning to night, litre after litre of cider. "She was sitting crying like a baby," Johnston added. |
| Watson's body had several old fractures from an accident or assault, the pathologist, Dr Alistair Bentley, said, including a bone in her neck broken by pressure. But the forensic expert said none of the injuries caused her death and had happened a considerable time beforehand, possibly by falls linked to heavy drinking. | Watson's body had several old fractures from an accident or assault, the pathologist, Dr Alistair Bentley, said, including a bone in her neck broken by pressure. But the forensic expert said none of the injuries caused her death and had happened a considerable time beforehand, possibly by falls linked to heavy drinking. |
| Bentley said: "Within the limits imposed by the degree of decomposition, there was nothing that I found to suggest that she had been the victim of a homicide." | Bentley said: "Within the limits imposed by the degree of decomposition, there was nothing that I found to suggest that she had been the victim of a homicide." |
| Her bones were found curled in a foetal position with an aerosol and plastic bag close. | Her bones were found curled in a foetal position with an aerosol and plastic bag close. |
| A pathologist said she may have been inhaling the gases of the spray, which can interfere with the heartbeat, but it was not possible to analyse for the toxic substances. | A pathologist said she may have been inhaling the gases of the spray, which can interfere with the heartbeat, but it was not possible to analyse for the toxic substances. |
| Friends told the inquest Watson had become afraid to leave her home and spent most of the day drinking cider. | Friends told the inquest Watson had become afraid to leave her home and spent most of the day drinking cider. |
| The coroner concluded that her death was not the result of a murder. | The coroner concluded that her death was not the result of a murder. |
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