The boyfriend of Georgina Drinkwater recalled the final moments before her fatal fall and told the inquest into her death that “we loved each other to bits”.

Despite impassioned evidence given by Ms Drinkwater's mother, friends and boyfriend Robert Weldon, the coroner overseeing the two-day inquest recorded an open verdict on Wednesday afternoon (April 6) as he admitted he was unable to come to a clear picture of the events that led to her death.

Earlier at Westminster Coroners Court, evidence had been given by friends of Ms Drinkwater claiming Robert Weldon had been known to kick, punch and slap his girlfriend , who fell to her death from the third floor of her balcony in Queen’s Park in February 2014.

Speaking at the inquest on April 6 Mr Weldon, 26, admitted he had grabbed Ms Drinkwater in the past leaving her bruised - but denied harming her on the night of her death.

Flowers were laid in tribute to Georgina Drinkwater

The 30-year-old mum of two daughters was pregnant with Mr Weldon’s child when she fell to her death in the early hours of February 23 2014. He said she had tried to climb to the second floor balcony following a row, a claim earlier disputed by Ms Drinkwater’s mother Pauline Tio .

He was arrested for murder but charges were never brought against him because of insufficient evidence.

Addressing the court on the second day of the inquest, Mr Weldon said after a night out at a party they rowed and Ms Drinkwater went out onto the balcony.

Georgina Drinkwater
Georgina Drinkwater

He said: “We were arguing, I don’t remember about what. She started to leave, I guarded the door.

“I told her you’re five months pregnant, it’s three in the morning, where are you going? She walked straight past me.

“I heard the handle of the balcony door. I didn’t think anything of it.”

Then she slipped

She then stood on the metal ledge of their balcony. “I was telling her to come up, shouting at her, but she wouldn’t listen to me,” continued Mr Weldon. “We were looking straight at each other, basically face to face. Then she slipped.”

He denied she had been trying to escape and said she was not scared of him .

'That's my baby, that's my girlfriend, she's pregnant'

After Ms Drinkwater fell he became hysterical, calling on neighbours and running to her. He said: “I was shouting ‘that’s my baby that’s my girlfriend, she’s pregnant’.”

Friends of Ms Drinkwater had earlier said Mr Weldon would turn aggressive after drinking. But he told the hearing alcohol was not a factor in his behaviour.

“I don’t remember walking around the house and kicking walls," he said. "The reason alcohol is brought up is because I would go out and drink. I’d be out with the lads, she’d be at home with the kids.”

A passer-by stops to read tributes outside Orpheus House, Queen's Park, shortly after Georgina Drinkwater fell to her death

And he said they had worked hard on their relationship: “We wanted to be together as a family. We went to counselling, it worked.

“We loved each other to bits. I can only do the best I can to bring up the girls the way she would have done.”

Recording an open verdict, Assistant Coroner Russell Caller said: "The exact circumstances remain unknown."

He added: "The evidence I have heard over the past two days is not sufficient to provide a conclusion."

Georgina Drinkwater's mother, who was at the court to witness the inquest's conclusion, said she would comment on the verdict later.