Concerns raised about Hereford woman days before her death

A full inquest into the death of a troubled young Hereford woman nearly two years ago will not now begin until the new year.

Natasha Ashby, known as Tash, was found dead in a tent at Hereford county bus station on August 7, 2023, the cause of death being determined as heroin toxicity.

The 21-year-old had been raised in care since 2011 and Herefordshire Council was still responsible for her as a care leaver.

A coroner’s inquest into her death began in November but was adjourned to allow more information to be brought forward.

Coroner for Herefordshire James Bennett, appointed more recently, told a pre-inquest hearing at Hereford Town Hall on Monday June 23 that he was “almost starting afresh” on the case.

“I need to be assertive to drive the case forward,” he said, and left open the possibility of a jury inquest, usually held when wrongdoing is suspected.
Solicitor for the family Ciara Bartlam said that Tash had been arrested for shoplifting shortly before her death, when she had made an allegation of rape to police.

She also said a report had been submitted to the council before Tash’s death from a local voluntary group warning “there will shortly be a loss of life, at her own hands or others’”.

Mr Bennett said he wanted time to “take stock” of submissions on the case, which included a “bundle” from Herefordshire Council of over 600 pages, “and put them together in a coherent way”.

Some key information within this had been redacted, and he called on the council to provide unredacted versions.

He also needed “more detail” from the police on what happened to Tash on the days leading up to her death, he said.

And he added its “doesn’t seem like there is pressure from the family” for a quick outcome.

Before the inquest proper, there will first have to be a “substantive” pre-inquest hearing, most likely in November or early December, Mr Bennett added.