The partner of a woman who choked to death after she was stopped by police has paid tribute to his “angel”.

Andy Whelan’s partner Kelly Pearson, 36, died after choking on a plastic packet of drugs she swallowed, probably to hide, as police approached.

Speaking at the mother-of-two’s inquest at Brighton County Court yesterday, Mr Whelan said: “She was my everything, my angel, a happy-go-lucky person. I have found it all very difficult.

“I was meant to meet her five minutes later (after the incident). I was waiting for her to come back when a neighbour told me what happened.

“I did not know what was going on at first until I got to the hospital, and then to see she had a black eye. She was my world. I don’t know what to do now.”

Police approached Miss Pearson, of Essex Street, Brighton, shortly before 5pm on February 17, believing she had just bought drugs from a man in Lavender Road.

An officer thought she had drugs in her mouth and jerked her to the ground to try and get her to spit them out before it became apparent she was choking.

Police tried to save her and also called paramedics, but she lost consciousness and died two days later in hospital with severe brain damage caused by lack of oxygen.

Pellets of crack cocaine were found in her oesophagus and stomach.

Police said she got the black eye when she clipped her eye on a fence while they gave her abdominal thrusts.

Mr Whelan, of Essex Street, said he was not satisfied with what he had heard at the inquest, and said: “There were people that did not want to turn up (and give evidence) who told different stories.

“They did not want to get involved because it was the police who were dealing with it.

“I think the police were in such a hurry to get the drugs they rushed at Kelly, but the way they put it (in the inquest) was they glossed over it.

“I wanted them to take responsibility for it.”

Independent Police Complaints Commission investigator Carol Dowling told inquest jurors on Wednesday she had not found anything that should have been done differently.

Her full report into the police's involvement in the death has yet to be published.

Jurors recorded a conclusion of misadventure after four hours’ deliberation yesterday and three days of evidence.

Summing up ahead of the verdict, Brighton and Hove coroner Veronica Hamilton Deeley said: “I think from the evidence you may well find that what she intended to do was to get rid of any evidence that might result in her being questioned by police and go on her way.”