Fighter jumps to his death after losing fight

A teacher who aspired to be a professional boxer leaped to his death in front of his partner and baby after losing an amateur bout in the very first round.

22-year-old Joseph Yarde had been drinking.  He took a ''20cm line'' of cocaine before jumping from the balcony of his second-floor flat in Battersea, London.  He died of a head injury.

Yarde's partner, Sophia Collins, told an inquest at Westminster coroner's court that he texted her shortly after 11pm on March 31, alleging that he had been ''stitched up'' and lost his amateur fight.

The boxer/teacher, who worked at the John Fisher School in Purley, headed home later after drinking with friends.
Ms Collins told the inquest: ''I have never seen anyone that drunk in my life.  He was just saying sorry as he kept throwing up.''  She left the room to feed the couple's baby daughter, and when she returned she saw a ''green kitchen chopping board with sachets and powder all over the board, and white all over Joseph's face.''  She added:  ''He looked totally out of it.''

Mr Yarde fell asleep briefly, before waking up and snorting a ''1cm wide and 20cm long'' line of white powder, the inquest heard.  Ms Collins further said:  ''He totally collapsed on the floor, not even making any attempt to break his fall with his hands.  At about 6.30am while I was cleaning Joseph woke up and moved from the floor to the sofa.  I said, 'Oh good, you're going to sleep.'

''I went and got my daughter and took her to the sitting room and got her something to eat.  
''I then carried her to the sitting room table and turned around to see Joseph getting and taking a run and he jumped over the balcony.  As he jumped, his foot caught the middle railing and he fell forwards.  When I saw him jump it was shocking.  As I looked I saw blood pouring from his head.''  Paramedics, police and the fire brigade tried in vain to save Mr Yarde.