A WOMAN who had been terrified of returning to her flat after it had been trashed, was found dead in the blood spattered bathroom, an inquest was told. Elaine Gordon, 38, was found after a concerned Kent Social Services manager was unable to get a reply when she called at her home in Willington Street, Maidstone, on April 9 and called the police.

Pathologist Dr David Rouse, said Miss Gordon had cuts to her arms and was thought to have been dead for several days.

Detective Inspector Nigel Shambler said three knives were found, one with bloodstains on the blade, and an empty vodka bottle covered in blood. Bloodstains were everywhere, he said, although there was no sign of a forced entry. Neither were there any marks or injuries to suggest Miss Gordon had tried to defend herself against an attacker.

Jennifer Napier, the Kent Social Services manager who called the police, referred to her as having been a heavy user of drugs and alcohol. She was introduced to her three years ago when she was diagnosed as HIV positive but found it difficult to build up a relationship with her because of her mistrust of authority.

She said Miss Gordon, who had made a number of previous suicide attempts, had threatened to kill herself on her release from hospital.

She had been terrified of returning home because she said her flat had been trashed.

Coroner for Mid Kent and Medway, Roger Sykes, said that because of the time which had elapsed between death and the body being found, followed by a post mortem examination, he was not in a position to determine the cause of death and recorded an open verdict.

"There is evidence that she lost blood but not sufficient from the quantity seen in the flat to account for her death" he said. "Neither was there found in a blood sample the presence of any toxic substance.

The evidence falls short of that required to record a verdict of suicide. I cannot hypothesise. There was an undated note, which, although persuasive is not conclusive. In a case where there are gaps in the evidence, it is not known when she died or whether alcohol or drugs were involved, I can only bring in an open verdict."