A verdict of suicide “while the balance of her mind was disturbed” has been recorded in the death of Helen Stokes, the late managing director of marketing and creative recruiter Major Players, Poplar Coroner's Court has confirmed to Recruiter.

Stokes was found hanged at her home in Hackney on 15 March. A spokesperson at the coroner's court said the inquest on Wednesday found Stokes had made previous attempts on her life. Although it was established that Stokes had had a long-standing alcohol abuse problem, she was not under the influence when she died, the inquest found. 

The reference to having killed herself “while the balance of her mind was disturbed” applied to her alcohol abuse. She had also suffered from depression.

The Evening Standard reported that Stokes's former partner Ruth Jones had found her body. Despite attempts to resuscitate her, she was pronounced dead at the scene, the paper reported. 

The Standard quoted coroner Dr William Dolman as saying: “Alcohol must have affected her judgement. Her problems go back to her alcoholism and breakdown of relationship, and the fact she felt she couldn't cope. It was quite clear on more than one occasion that she had made attempts on her own life.”

It was also reported that Stokes had been treated at The Priory for alcohol dependency syndrome in the month before she died.

As reported by Recruiter, Major Players and Stokes's family launched a fund to raise £5k to create an internship for a young female creative talent to live in London and get on the first rung of the career ladder.

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