Depressed guest jumps from Hilton

An artist, who asked for a luxury suite on the 25th floor of London's Hilton hotel so he could photograph the view, threw himself to his death from the bedroom balcony, an inquest was told.

Divorcee Alastair Morris, 55, was found dead on the pavement outside the hotel entrance by the night porter in the early morning of 10 July this year.

Morris, of Maida Vale, north-west London, had been suffering from depression and checked in to the hotel for two nights on 9 July. The hearing at Westminster Coroners' Court was told he died from multiple injuries and there were no suspicious circumstances. A verdict of suicide was recorded.

The 446-bedroom Hilton, on Park Lane, said afterwards it was not introducing any new safety measures. It already follows council guidelines and keeps its bedroom windows and balcony doors locked at all times.

If a guest wants to open a window or balcony door they have to ask a security officer for a key and state why they want to do so.