Coroner records open verdict into death of Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky
The 67-year-old was found dead with a ligature (cord or metal band) around his neck on the floor of the bathroom at his ex-wife's £20million property in Ascot, Berkshire.
The death of Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky will remain a mystery after a coroner recorded an open verdict.
Berkshire coroner Peter Bedford said he could not prove beyond all reasonable doubt that the businessman either took his own life or was unlawfully killed.
The body of the former Kremlin insider was discovered slumped on the bathroom floor at his ex-wife's £20million property in Ascot, Berks., with a ligature wound to his neck in March last year.
Professor Bernd Brinkmann, an expert on hanging and asphyxiation cases, told the hearing at Windsor Guildhall he believed two people were involved in the death of the businessman.
He suggested the exiled Russian could have been attacked suddenly from behind and quickly strangled, before his body was then moved into the bathroom.
The oligarch's daughter Elizaveta Berezovskaya told the inquest she feared her dad had been poisoned for criticising Russian President Vladimir Putin.
She told the coroner: "My gut feeling was that he was poisoned."
She said there were "a number of people" who would like to kill Mr. Berezovsky - who had survived two previous assassination attempts.
Miss Berezovskaya said her father had long warned about the threat Putin posed and the recent Ukraine row proved he was right.
"He was saying that Putin was a danger to the whole world and you can see that now," she said.
However, evidence from Home Office pathologist Dr Simon Poole concluded Mr Berezovsky had hanged himself.
Dr Poole said he found no injuries consistent with defensive injuries such as clawing at his neck, kicking out or flailing.
Mr. Berezovsky became a "broken man" after losing a multi-million pound legal battle against Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in 2012.
He had sought asylum in the UK in 2000 after falling out with the Kremlin and became an outspoken opponent of President Putin - surviving at least two assassination attempts.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/boris-berezovsky-inquest-open-verdict-3293735
Berkshire coroner Peter Bedford said he could not prove beyond all reasonable doubt that the businessman either took his own life or was unlawfully killed.
The body of the former Kremlin insider was discovered slumped on the bathroom floor at his ex-wife's £20million property in Ascot, Berks., with a ligature wound to his neck in March last year.
Professor Bernd Brinkmann, an expert on hanging and asphyxiation cases, told the hearing at Windsor Guildhall he believed two people were involved in the death of the businessman.
He suggested the exiled Russian could have been attacked suddenly from behind and quickly strangled, before his body was then moved into the bathroom.
The oligarch's daughter Elizaveta Berezovskaya told the inquest she feared her dad had been poisoned for criticising Russian President Vladimir Putin.
She told the coroner: "My gut feeling was that he was poisoned."
She said there were "a number of people" who would like to kill Mr. Berezovsky - who had survived two previous assassination attempts.
Miss Berezovskaya said her father had long warned about the threat Putin posed and the recent Ukraine row proved he was right.
"He was saying that Putin was a danger to the whole world and you can see that now," she said.
However, evidence from Home Office pathologist Dr Simon Poole concluded Mr Berezovsky had hanged himself.
Dr Poole said he found no injuries consistent with defensive injuries such as clawing at his neck, kicking out or flailing.
Mr. Berezovsky became a "broken man" after losing a multi-million pound legal battle against Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in 2012.
He had sought asylum in the UK in 2000 after falling out with the Kremlin and became an outspoken opponent of President Putin - surviving at least two assassination attempts.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/boris-berezovsky-inquest-open-verdict-3293735
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