Tragic schoolgirl had 'soap romance' idea
A schoolgirl found hanged after being abused by her karate teacher 'seemed to think she was in a soap romance', an inquest has heard.
Dana Baker, who had competed for Great Britain in the martial art, shouted out in an English class that she was having a relationship with the man.
Her deputy headteacher at Wolverley High School, Victoria Blake, told her inquest in Stourport yesterday that the incident happened in April 2009, two years before her death.
That happened on the same day that self-harm scratches were found on her skin, and days before she was admitted to Worcester Royal Hospital on May 6, having taken an overdose of drugs.
Mrs Blake said Dana, from Kidderminster, was 'incredibly bright' and 'seemed to think she was in a soap romance'.
Samantha Cobley was head of house at Wolverley High School in April 2009 when Mrs Blake asked her to have a meeting with Dana over concerns of self-harm, Stourport Coroner's Court heard.
She told the inquest: "I took her to my office and said we were concerned about it, and that she had made the disclosure about an older boyfriend.She said to me it was an 18-year-old Sikh youth, but then said it was her 48-year-old karate master."
A meeting that evening was arranged with Dana's parents and Mrs Blake, in which Ms Cobley said 'there was not much emotion shown by the parents'.
Ms Cobley said fellow pupils had also come forward with concerns about Dana.
Dana was found hanged in March 2011 aged 16, near the Worcester Road island in the town. Jaspal Riat, then 49, formerly of Denewood Avenue, Handsworth, was jailed for eight years in September 2011 for sexually abusing her.
The inquest continues.
