Friends and well-wishers of a barrister who took her own life have donated more than £7,000 to the mental health charity Mind in her memory.

Jessica Holmes, 40, was found dead in the bedroom of her home at The Drive in Sevenoaks on Friday, September 20, an inquest heard.

Annabel Shepherd, who set up the Just Giving appeal, said: "Our love for Jess is testament to the incredible impact she had on everyone who met her.

"It seems impossible to do the real essence of Jess justice: loving, loyal, highly talented, excoriatingly funny, she was an absolute light in our lives."

Miss Holmes had a flourishing career at the Electoral Commission.

She lived alone, but had been in a relationship and the alarm was raised by her partner who became concerned after Miss Holmes missed a meeting, failed to respond to text messages and wouldn't answer her door.

A post mortem determined that her death had been caused by suspension. A toxicology report indicated she had around three times the drink/drive level of alcohol in her blood.

DS Stuart Briggs who investigated her death said her home had been locked from the inside. There was no sign of any break-in, no indication of any struggle and nothing to suggest any third party involvement.

She had been out drinking with work colleagues the night before.

DS Briggs said: "From her text messages it was clear she was anxious about this and felt she had put both her relationship with her partner and her career at risk."

However, the inquest heard that Miss Holmes had a long history of mental illness. She had once spent eight days in a mental health unit and had been taking anti-depressants for more than two years.

Coroner Roger Hatch recorded a verdict of suicide.

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