An “incredibly loving and fun” mum-of-four died as a “consequence of serious infection” while in police custody, a jury has heard.

Debbie Padley passed away in a police cell in Tonbridge Police Station more than two years ago.

The 43-year-old was discovered unresponsive in her cell and later pronounced dead after 17 hours in custody on July 24, 2021.

At the inquest at Maidstone’s County Hall today, it was said that a pathologist had determined the cause of Mrs Padley’s death as being a serious kidney infection, which had led to sepsis and multiple organ failure.

Coroner Alan Blunsdon outlined to the jury of six men and five women the case they would hear over the next 10 days.

This included how police had been called to a domestic disturbance at a house in Bedford Road, Tunbridge Wells, on July 23, 2021 – when the country was still in the midst of Covid.

The court heard how the force had received several 999 calls at around 7.50pm including one from Mrs Padley’s estranged husband, Stephen, who alleged he had been assaulted by her. This was later played to the jury.

Jurors also heard officers arriving at the address believed that she was intoxicated and she was arrested on suspicion of assault and placed first in a holding cell and then in a custody cell, until she sobered up and could be interviewed about the allegations.

Mr Blunsdon then said the jury would hear of the welfare checks carried out on her throughout the night and how she was at one stage given paracetamol after she complained of a headache.

And finally, they would hear how at 12.55pm the next day, she was found unresponsive in the cell, and despite paramedics' best attempts to resuscitate her, she was declared dead at the scene.

The inquest also heard from Matthew Holdcroft, the barrister representing Kent Police, who read a statement of an interview with a neighbour to the property where the disturbance arose.

She described coming home and seeing a man crouched down fiddling with the wheel of a silver hatchback car.

Subsequently, she saw a woman emerge from the house, argue with the man and throw a punch at him, the court was told.

A fight then ensued in which the woman was pushed backward onto the bonnet of the car, before slipping down to sit on the ground.

A second woman then emerged from the house and both women began shouting at the man, who kicked the mirrors of the car before walking off.

The description of the first woman’s clothing matched that worn by Debbie Padley on that night, jurors heard.

The inquest then heard evidence from PC Craig Rawlings and PC Ben Startin, two of the three officers who initially responded to the call.

PC Rawlings described how when they knocked on the door of the house it was opened by Debbie Padley herself. She took the officers into the lounge, where there were two other women present.

Stephen Padley was later found outside in the garden at the rear of the property.

PC Rawlings said he believed Mrs Padley to be intoxicated – her speech was slurred, she was unsteady on her feet and there were a number of empty alcohol bottles in the lounge.

PC Startin said he found blood on Mr Padley’s shorts and said he had dried blood up his nostrils.

PC Rawlings told Mrs Padley she was being arrested and asked whether she needed any medication. She at first said: “Yeah, lots!” but later said she didn’t need anything.

The officers searched her handbag, but couldn’t find any medication, though one of the other women told officers that Mrs Padley had been feeling unwell.

Once she was in the back of the police van, Mrs Padley claimed it was her husband who had assaulted her, not the other way around, adding: “He dragged me across the car park by the hair.”

Asked why she hadn’t mentioned that before she was arrested, the inquest heard that she told PC Rawlings: “I’m not a grass.”

Mr Turner asked the officer, once he was aware of the allegations that she had been assaulted, whether he should have examined her for injuries.

He said he had assessed her visually and could see no signs of injury, and she would be questioned more thoroughly on the subject once she was booked in at the custody suite.

Later the jury was shown video footage of Mrs Padley waiting in the holding cell with PC Startin. Mrs Padley several times said: “I’m in pain.” But when PC Startin asked her where the pain was, she only responded that she needed to go to the toilet.

She swelled with pride at their achievements. They were her world.

Matthew Turner, a barrister representing the family, also read a statement on their behalf in which they paid tribute to her.

Mrs Padley was described as “an incredibly loving and fun mother” who doted on her four children Josh, Ollie, Skyla and Ellis.

He said: “She swelled with pride at their achievements. They were her world.

“She revelled in the simple joys with them, from baking cookies to watching Mary Poppins together. Most of all she loved brushing Skyla’s hair.”

He said her death had left the family “shattered, with hearts heavy with grief.”

Tomorrow, jurors will hear evidence from the custody officer and detention officers.

The inquest, which is expected to last up to 10 days, continues.