A singer from the band The Overtones died after taking crystal meth and falling from a 13th floor balcony, a coroner has concluded.
Timmy Matley, 36, arrived at the flat of a friend in east London under the influence of the Class A drug and was later locked out on the balcony.
Whilst trying to climb down he fell to his death.
The coroner’s conclusion, which was issued after Wednesday’s inquest at Poplar Coroner’s Court, was that his death was a “drug-related accident” in which he died from “multiple traumatic injuries”.
Timmy, our funny, talented, beautiful friend, bandmate and brother, was dearly loved and he is deeply missed. pic.twitter.com/4ou1VMnvrc
— The Overtones (@the_overtones) October 3, 2018
It said: “When Timmy Matley fell from a 13th floor balcony having arrived, intoxicated with crystal meth, at the home of a friend and then having been locked out on the balcony, he tried to climb down and fell at approximately 10.35am on Monday April 9 2018.”
A statement from the band issued after the hearing said: “We will not be making any comment other than to say that Timmy, our funny, talented, beautiful friend, bandmate and brother, was dearly loved and he is deeply missed.”
Matley was diagnosed with a stage three malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer, in 2016.
In a fundraising page posted on his Twitter in December, he revealed he was planning a charity skydive in order to raise money for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, which he said was a cause “very close to my heart”.
The Irish singer, who was born in Cork and lived in London, was due to complete the skydive in May and almost £9,000 has been donated.
Previously a group of painters and decorators, The Overtones – who specialise in doo-wop performances – found fame in 2010 when they were discovered during a tea break by a talent scout as they worked at an office near London’s Oxford Street.
Matley, along with Lachie Chapman, Mike Crawshaw, Mark Franks and Darren Everest, have had four albums in the UK top 10 in the charts, including their 2010 debut Good Ol’ Fashioned Love, which peaked at number four.
The band will release a self-titled album later this month which includes vocals from the late singer.