26-Year-Old Woman Dies After Slipping on Nightclub Stairs with Friend

A Tragic Fall and the Aftermath of Georgia Harry's Death

A young woman known for her outgoing and friendly nature passed away a month after a tragic accident that occurred at a nightclub in Liverpool. The inquest into her death revealed the heartbreaking details of how she fell down a set of stairs while on her way to the restroom with a friend.

Georgia Harry, 26, was described by her family as "bubbly" and "fun." She was out with friends in Liverpool when she fell down a set of stairs at Lost Bar in the early hours of March 17. The inquest at Gerard Majella Courthouse heard that Georgia had met with her friend Michael Pollard at Punch Tarmey’s around 3 p.m. on March 16 before heading out with their group of friends.

Mr. Pollard saw Georgia again when he arrived at the nightclub on Seel Street around 2 a.m. During this time, Georgia was observed drinking both lager and vodka. At approximately 2:15 a.m., the pair separated from the group to go to the toilets, which were located on the basement floor of the building. As they made their way down the stairs, Georgia's legs gave way, causing her to fall and hit her head on the concrete floor while holding onto her friend's arm.

Sean Moogan, who was not drinking at the time, witnessed the incident as he left the toilets. He recalled seeing a man and a woman walking down the stairs. According to Mr. Moogan, Georgia's legs gave way, swinging to the same height as his head as she began to fall—around six steps away from the bottom floor.

Mr. Pollard rushed to help Georgia, shouting her name as the fall rendered her unconscious. Mr. Moogan, who is a personal trainer and first-aid trained, advised Mr. Pollard to remain calm and move away from Georgia to prevent any further injuries. Georgia was then taken to Aintree Hospital, where she underwent a blood test and an assessment before being transferred to the Walton Centre.

She remained in critical condition and on life support until she passed away on April 13 of this year. A toxicology report found a "low level of ketamine" in Georgia's system, along with an alcohol reading of 294, which is around three-and-a-half times the drink-driving limit.

Aoife Magill, an environmental health officer for Liverpool City Council, visited the premises following the incident. She discovered that there were no slip strips on the stairs and instructed the bar to install them in the future. Area Coroner for Liverpool and Wirral, Ms. Anita Bhardwaj, stated that Georgia "more than likely" slipped on the stairs. However, she could not definitively confirm due to CCTV being obstructed by a person walking behind Mr. Pollard and Georgia.

A police investigation found that Georgia was not pushed down the stairs. Detective Inspector Dillon of Merseyside Police mentioned that Mr. Pollard was seen taking something from his jumper before he and Georgia linked arms. Later, between two CCTV cameras, Georgia was seen "falling at speed" down the staircase before hitting her head on the ground.

A post-mortem concluded that her cause of death was an extensive brain injury caused by the fall. Ms. Bhardwaj stated, "More likely than not that Georgia has died from the injuries sustained from the fall. From the evidence we have heard, there is nothing to suggest that it was nothing more than an accident."

Georgia's mother, Nicola Poolton, 44, led tributes to her daughter, describing her as a "strong fighter" who "fought until the end." She added, "She was a hard-working girl who loved to have fun with her friends and going on holidays. She was so sociable."

Reflecting on Georgia's time in the ICU, Ms. Poolton said, "We were told on the night that they didn't think she would make it through the night. But when we turned off life support, she survived for five days."

Georgia lived with her mother and two dachshunds, Mabel and Maggie. She worked at the Liverpool Passport Office based within the city center. A moving obituary notice declared her passing, stating that she had died "peacefully in hospital surrounded by her loving family." It added, "Much loved daughter of Nicola and David. Georgia will be sadly missed by all who knew her. To our darling daughter. We miss you the world our beautiful miracle. We love you the world and back."