A sales broker fell to his death from a Soho rooftop after an evening of solo drinking, an inquest has heard. Ryley Harbord, 22, from Dartford, fell from a building on Brewer Street shortly after 2am on May 3, 2025.
Detective Sergeant James Harrison of the Metropolitan Police told Inner West London Coroner's Court that Harbord had visited several venues, starting at Simmons Bar in Piccadilly Circus at 9pm. After being separated from a group, he continued drinking alone and got into altercations with staff at Bill's and the Piccadilly Theatre.
Harbord scaled a gate into a courtyard but appeared trapped, removing his shoes in an attempt to escape. CCTV captured him approaching stairs leading to residential rooftops around midnight. Audio recorded 15 minutes before the 999 call captured a man's voice shouting 'Oh f***, oh f***', followed by sounds of smashed glass and sirens.
An autopsy attributed death to a head injury, with multiple skull and sternum fractures, brain and scalp lacerations, and lung contusions. His blood alcohol level was 251mg/100ml, more than triple the legal driving limit, and tests revealed recreational cocaine and remnants of ADHD medication.
The inquest heard Harbord had stopped ADHD medication at age 15 but sought to restart it in 2023, complaining of feeling out of control. He was referred to drug and alcohol services but his case was closed after he failed to respond. He had been assessed as low risk of overdose or self-harm.
Assistant Coroner Sophie Mortimer recorded an open conclusion, stating it was not possible to determine how Harbord reached the rooftop or whether the fall was accidental or deliberate. No third-party involvement was found.
