Tragic Fall of Sales Broker After Solo Pub Crawl in Soho
A 22-year-old sales broker tragically fell to his death from a rooftop in Soho after embarking on a solo pub crawl, an inquest has revealed. Ryley Harbord, from Dartford, plunged from a building on Brewer Street in the early hours of May 3, 2025, following a night of heavy drinking and altercations at multiple venues.
Sequence of Events Leading to the Fatal Incident
The inquest at Inner West London Coroner's Court heard that Mr Harbord began his evening at Simmons Bar in Piccadilly Circus around 9pm, where he became separated from a group. He then visited other locations, including Bills and the Piccadilly Theatre, where he got into disputes with staff, according to Detective Sergeant James Harrison of the Metropolitan Police.
Later, Mr Harbord scaled a gate and appeared to become trapped in a courtyard. CCTV footage showed him approaching stairs leading to residential rooftops around midnight. Approximately 15 minutes before a 999 call reported his fall, audio captured a man's voice shouting expletives, followed by sounds of smashed glass and sirens.
Investigation and Medical Findings
The Metropolitan Police investigation found no third-party involvement and could not establish how Mr Harbord accessed the rooftop, as he did not know anyone at the property and there were no obvious entry points. An autopsy confirmed his cause of death as a head injury, with multiple skull and sternum fractures, brain and scalp lacerations, and lung contusions.
His blood alcohol level was recorded at 251mg/100ml, more than triple the legal driving limit, and his system tested positive for recreational amounts of cocaine. He also had remnants of ADHD medication, which he had stopped taking at age 15 but sought to restart in 2023 after complaining of feeling out of control.
Background and Support Services
Mr Harbord had a history of excessive alcohol, cocaine, and ketamine use. His GP had referred him to local drug and alcohol support services, but his case was closed when he failed to respond to contact attempts. Despite this, he was assessed as being at low risk of overdose or self-harm prior to his death.
At the conclusion of the inquest, District Judge Sophie Mortimer recorded an open conclusion, stating it was impossible to determine how Mr Harbord ended up on the rooftop or whether the fall was accidental or deliberate.
