JUST how a university student came to fall to his death from his bedroom window may never be known, an inquest has heard.

Jordan Harker’s body was discovered by a passer-by on a footpath near his rented Durham City home early on December 10, last year.

Chester-le-Street Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday that the second year Durham University history student had been drinking with friends the previous night, but had left early.

A post-mortem examination showed Mr Harker, who died from abdominal injuries, was one-anda- half times the drink-drive limit.

However, investigating officer Detective Sergeant Cliff Thomson, said this was “not a massively high level”.

The officer said he had questioned neighbours at the 19-yearold’s Beechcrest home and there was no suggestion of horseplay near the window in the past.

He said Mr Harker, from Middlesbrough, would have had to climb onto his desk to get to the window.

The previous night, Mr Harker had been out drinking with members of his university football team, including friend and housemate Peter Duff.

Mr Duff said Mr Harker went missing about 9pm, but he was not excessively drunk and it was assumed he had just gone home.

When Mr Duff returned home at about 11.30pm, he found Mr Harker’s door locked and assumed he had gone to bed and was asleep.

A second housemate, Stephen Burn, said he had a conversation with Mr Harker before Mr Harker used the toilet on the floor beneath his attic bedroom.

County Durham coroner Andrew Tweddle said he had ruled out suicide, and Det Sgt Thomson said he was satisfied there were no third parties involved.

Mr Tweddle said: “I remain quite troubled to try and understand what happened that night, and I don’t think we are going to find out with any degree of certainty.

“It remains, from my point of view, unsatisfactory.

“From the family’s point of view, I think to say ‘unsatisfactory’ is the biggest understatement of their lives.”

Mr Tweddle recorded a verdict of accidental death.