Wife found hanged during anniversary weekend as tragic new details emerge

An image depicts a couple standing together in an outdoor dining area, adorned with hanging lanterns and natural elements. The setting suggests a relaxed and elegant atmosphere.

An inquest examining the death of a woman discovered hanged mere hours after she and her spouse posted cheerful hot-tub photos marking their anniversary has uncovered heartbreaking new information surrounding the tragedy.

Abigail Garside was found deceased by a passerby in Harrogate town centre, North Yorkshire, in the early morning hours of August 18 last year, during what was meant to be an anniversary weekend getaway. The 30-year-old accomplished equestrian had been marking the occasion with her husband, Samuel Garside, just hours earlier on August 17.

Despite the couple sharing affectionate photographs online to commemorate the day, the inquest revealed that Mrs Garside had abruptly left their hotel room before vanishing through the night. Proceedings at Northallerton Coroner's Court disclosed that Mrs Garside had departed their accommodations at the upscale Rudding Park resort in a sudden manner.

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The couple, who hailed from Blackburn, Lancashire, had given every appearance on social media that their anniversary was proceeding beautifully, with Mrs Garside posting to Instagram: "Lovely day in Harrogate celebrating our first wedding anniversary with my love."

Mr Garside had marked the special occasion with his own heartfelt tribute, posting: "1 year since you became my wife! ! I love you more and more every day, happy anniversary."

Abigail Garside and her husband

Mrs Garside's photo showed the couple relaxing in a hot tub while sipping champagne, and the inquest heard they continued drinking throughout the day while also using cocaine. They subsequently visited multiple bars in the town, combining alcohol and drugs before getting into an argument at Mojo's bar and heading back to the hotel.

The inquest heard that Mrs Garside had accused her husband of not defending her at the bar and had then "stormed out" of their hotel room.

Describing the sequence of events, Sarah Middleton, the assistant coroner for North Yorkshire, said: "That weekend should have been special because it was her wedding anniversary. You were in Harrogate celebrating, and you had a lovely day. You went to the spa, celebrated with Champagne, had some food, and had some drinks.

"Alcohol was consumed, and you may have taken some cocaine. Abigail took cocaine as well. There was an argument in a bar. You and Abigail left.

Two individuals, one wearing a blue shirt and the other adorned with a necklace, are seated together, sharing a moment of joy and camaraderie. The background features a partially visible white structure.

"You returned to the hotel between midnight and 1 am. There was an argument there, and Abigail left the hotel between 2 and 2.30 am. Sadly, she left her phone there. Mr Garside fell asleep and when he woke up, Abigail was not there. He went to look for her. Sadly, a member of the public had located Abigail."

Mr Garside informed police he had attempted to contact his wife before discovering she had left her phone at the hotel. When she didn't come back, he stated that he had driven around Harrogate frantically looking for any trace of the missing Mrs Garside.

He learned of her passing after noticing police activity around the hotel, with an officer noting he appeared in "visible shock, shaking and crying". During the inquest, the coroner heard the couple had been planning a fresh start in Australia prior to Mrs Garside's tragic death.

An individual is riding a horse in an indoor arena, accompanied by others on horseback. A woman and a man stand beside a horse, each holding an item, possibly trophies, while a purple bag rests between them. The scene is set against a blurred background featuring additional horses and spectators.

Her father, in his statement, reflected: "She had a great future. She was happily married, and everything was on the up. When we found out, it was a complete shock."

Wrapping up proceedings with a narrative verdict, the coroner observed: "I know from experience the combination of alcohol and cocaine can make people act in a way they wouldn't normally, and what happened to Abigail just seems completely out of character.

"If she hadn't taken the alcohol and cocaine, there's no way she would have [taken her life]. She had far too much to live for."

It comes after a separate incident where a 'hero' dad burned a rapist to death with a hot spatula after getting his daughter pregnant.