Hanging Death on Council Estate - 2012

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Swiss Cottage basketball hoop hanging death
Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Josh Pettitt and Rachael Getzels, Reporters

A man was found hanged from the frame of a basketball hoop at a Swiss Cottage sports court on this morning (Wednesday, January 11).

The man, believed to be in his 30s, was discovered shortly before 6.30am in Dobson Close estate, off Hilgrove Road, by a woman walking her dog. The body, which has not been identified, was hanging yards from a children’s playground.

Police said they requested a tent to shield the body from children.

Clearly shaken up, Natasha Ullah, 29, who discovered the body, said: “I was walking the dog this morning, I went through the park and I noticed a guy hanging on the pitch. “All I remember is seeing the guy hanging there. I was quite shocked at that. “I rang up to call the police. I didn’t really want to get any nearer to him.”

There was no sign of how the man climbed the 10 feet to the top of the hoop.
Residents of the estate said they were shocked and saddened at the death.

Muna Salaad, 34, of Hillgrave Estate, who saw the body covered in a white cloth, said: “I feel sad. It was a bit weird when I saw it. It took me a few seconds, I thought ‘Oh God there’s a body there’. It’s really sad.”

Pensioner Norma Boyle, whose flat in Farjeon House, Dobson Close, overlooks the basketball court, said: “It is dreadful. We’ve never had anything like this before. We have lived here for 51 years and never known anything like it.”

Police sealed off the area for several hours, but are not treating the death as suspicious.

The area was reopened shortly before 11am the same morning.
An inquest will be opened and adjourned at St Pancras Coroners’ Court.