Inquest Opens Into Brenda Leyland Death

The inquest into the death of a woman accused of directing online abuse at the McCann family has heard how the first post-mortem examination could not establish a cause of death.

Brenda Leyland was found dead at a hotel outside Leicester two days after she had featured in a Sky News report on internet "trolling" of Kate and Gerry McCann.

Further tests are now being carried out to try to work out how Ms Leyland died.

The 63-year-old, from Burton Overy, Leicestershire, had been accused of posting thousands of online messages directed at the McCanns.

Sgt Kevin Taylor, of Leicestershire Police, told the inquest he was on duty on Saturday when he received a call to go to the Marriott Hotel in Enderby, where paramedics told him there "was a deceased female within the room".

Sgt Taylor said the hotel room was immediately made secure and that his initial assessment was that there "did not appear to be foul play".

Ms Leyland was formally identified by a relative at the Leicester Royal Infirmary the following day.

Senior Coroner Catherine Mason said: "I am not in a position to conclude this today. This is because the cause of death is still not known and police inquiries are still, rightly, ongoing."

The inquest was adjourned until 18 December.