A POPULAR student plunged to his death from a 10th floor window which had been tampered with by a previous resident, an inquest heard.

Paul Millgate, 20, from Crowborough, fully opened a communal kitchen window in Bournemouth University halls of residence despite locks which should have only allowed it to tilt, Dorset coroner Sheriff Payne was told.

The inquest was told that a previous resident of the flat in Holdenhurst Road, had over-ridden the lock with a special key, available on the internet. The windows were compliant with Health and Safety rules at the time of the tragedy, the hearing was told. Extra locks have since been added.

Mr Millgate, who was a member of the Sussex Wing Royal Air Force Air Cadets, died of devastating multiple injuries after falling days after breaking up with his girlfriend.

The inquest heard he had bombarded Aleasha Istead with text messages. He told her: “My life is not worth living” and sent pictures taken out of the window before his death.

He also told his flatmates he was going to jump out of the window and put a butter knife to his neck, asking: “Shall I kill myself?”

Suicide notes were found in his room. The coroner heard he had been drinking heavily in the days leading up to his death on April 4 last year.

Witnesses told how Mr Millgate’s body was visible from many of the 400 flats in the block and that some students were taking pictures and video as paramedics worked.

Recording a verdict that he took his own life, Mr Payne said: “This could never have been a cry for help. He must have realised that by jumping out of there, there was only one result and that would have been his death.”