Colleagues of a ‘lovely human being’ have said her partner had expressed a desire to know what it was like to be with someone who was ‘nearly unconscious’, an inquest has heard.
Kelly Faiers, 61, was found dead in Minehead on October 15, 2023.
An inquest into her death is being heard at the Old Municipal Buildings in Taunton this week.
Ms Faiers was found at the home of Richard Scatchard, 70, whom she appeared to be in a relationship with at the time.
Her death was initially treated as non-suspicious, but after other evidence came to light, it was treated as murder.
Mr Scatchard disappeared before the police could speak to him and was found dead later in a caravan in Watchet, in April 2024.
The court heard Mr Scatchard was convicted of sexual offences in the 1980s and 90s, including administering drugs for sexual intercourse and rape.
He received a life sentence and was released in April 2013.
Ms Faiers worked at Bristol Airport at the time of her death, the inquest heard.
In evidence provided by her colleagues, it was heard that Ms Faiers was ‘actively dating’ after she and her husband divorced.
One colleague told the inquest they were 'shocked but not surprised' by Ms Faiers' death because of concerns about her relationship with Mr Scatchard.
She said he would refer to her as his ‘sex slave’ and suggested he wanted to know what it was like ‘to be with someone who is nearly unconscious’.
Witness statements from multiple colleagues suggested that Ms Faiers thought Mr Scatchard was ‘controlling’ and he would ‘put her down’ on regular occasions.
It was heard that Ms Faiers tried to stop talking to Mr Scatchard not long before she died, and he sent her more than 400 WhatsApp messages over the course of two days.
The post-mortem evidence said Ms Faiers died from combined alcohol and antihistamine use.
The inquest heard she took sleeping tablets, but it was ‘not possible to know whether Kelly took these willingly or unknowingly’.
Ms Faiers’ daughter, Tania Jackson, said in her statement: "I am aware [Mr Scatchard] was very domineering, he coaxed her into staying with him so she didn’t have to be alone.
"There were times she wanted to leave him, he would send her messages saying she was fat and he didn’t like her hair colour.
"[Mr Scatchard] would constantly ring mum - he wanted to know what she was doing."
She explained her mum was a ‘very high-functioning alcoholic’, who was a ‘person who needed to be needed’.
Mrs Jackson added: "Mum was very intelligent but she was not street wise.
"I believe [Mr Scatchard] was trying to isolate mum."
The inquest continues.
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