Boyfriend choked professional dancer, 26, to death in 'sex game gone wrong' then hanged himself, inquest hears
16 May 2024, 10:54 | Updated: 16 May 2024, 10:57
A boyfriend strangled his professional dancer girlfriend to death and then hanged himself, an inquest has heard.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Georgia May Brooke, 26, and Luke Cannon, 31, had cocaine and alcohol-fuelled rough sex on February 3, 2022, having earlier taken illegal 'party drug' GHB - also known as a 'date rape' drug.
The personal trainer choked Georgia unconscious before she went into cardiac arrest.
Cannon then phoned 999 and paramedics arrived at his home in Bradford, West Yorkshire. They found Ms Brooke naked and without a pulse on her boyfriend's bed.
Ms Brooke was administered CPR and adrenaline injections and was taken to the Bradford Royal Infirmary. She was then pronounced dead at 12.34am.
Medical staff had alerted police over the situation but Cannon had fled the hospital before officers arrived.
He had told a senior registrar at the hospital that Gerogia's "mum is going to kill me", the court heard.
"I should have died instead."
Cannon then phoned a friend asking them to tell Gerogia's mum that he was "going to be with her".
He then hanged himself in a wooded area near the hospital, Bradford Coroner's Court heard. His body was found some hours later.
Cannon was wanted on suspicion of murdering Ms Brooke, Det Sgt Phil Hardwick of West Yorkshire Police - who investigated both deaths - confirmed. All sex between Cannon and Ms Brooke was considered consensual.
"It's fair to say there are text messages consistent with Georgia having an interest in chocking in a sexual point of view," Det Sgt Hardwick told Coroner Martin Fleming, reported by MailOnline.
He said internet searches by Ms Brooke included: "Why do I like being choked psychology?". The court heard that the couple also enjoyed role-play and filmed homemade porn.
Pathologist Dr Christopher Johnson said Ms Brooke's cause of death was manual strangulation - but highlighted "potentially fatal" levels of the GHB drug in her system, as well as cocaine and alcohol.
He said Ms Brooke would have lost consciousness after around 15 to 30 seconds of being choked. As he continued to apply pressure, she would have gone into cardiac arrest.
The pathologist told the court that choking during sex was an "extremely dangerous practice" but explained that the starvation of oxygen can cause a heightened pleasure.
Her mother Samantha Beaumont said Ms Brooke was the youngest of four children and was loved by her family as "Princess Georgia".
She studied ballet, tap and modern dance at London's Millennium Performing Arts before going on to work as a dancer at a hotel in Greece. She then taught dance in her home town of Ossett, West Yorkshire.
The coroner recorded Ms Brooke's death as an "unlawful killing".
Mr Fleming said: "She was consensual to the sexual practices she adopted with Luke. There is no evidence he suggested to kill Georgia, he was primarily motivated by sexual gratification."
He called it a "sex game gone wrong".
"This type of sexual activity is dangerous and is reckless and it all too often results in fatal consequences.
"This should send a strong deterrent message to those who engage in such sexual practices. There is no margin for error - particularly when using drugs.
"The great tragedy here is that it has resulted in the death of a young woman who had a very bright future ahead of her."
Those feeling distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
