Superbike racer accused of domestic abuse after wife falls to her death from Dubai hotel

On Monday, October 5, Woking Coroner's Court heard that Abbie Elson fell to her death from the window of the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel, Dubai on February 19, 2013. Her husband, Grand Prix motorcycle racer Sean Emmett, claims that he witnessed his wife fall out of the window as she was searching for her wedding ring. Emmett was later arrested both in the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. However, the police could not link him to the woman's death. Friends and family of the deceased woman told the court that she had been subjected to domestic violence before her death.

Just days after their wedding in Cape Town, South Africa, the couple flew to Dubai. During their stay, Abbie fell from the fourth-floor honeymoon suite window. The hotel's security guard, Joseph Semanda, said that he saw the woman silently fall from the window of the room. He then stated that at the window, he saw a man looking down.

Semanda recalled that Sean soon arrived by his wife's side. As Abbie was struggling to breathe, her husband started performing CPR. The witness recalled that the woman had stopped breathing and her body was removed after emergency services arrived. He claims that the husband seemed confused and disturbed. He could not say if the woman fell accidentally or was pushed.

A post mortem report showed that Abbie had sustained chest and head injuries due to the fall. The alcohol level found in her blood was deemed to be sufficient for a person to lack balance and lose consciousness, the Daily Mail reported.

Sean's brother, Jason Emmett, told the court that Abbie had lost her wedding ring and his brother had gone out of the room to look for it. When he returned, Sean reportedly saw his wife fall out the window. The police in Dubai arrested the former motorcyclist and he stayed in UAE until December 2013. When he reached the UK, he was arrested by Surrey Police but cleared after a three-year investigation.

Abbie reportedly had a history of self-harm. She had on previous occasions tried to end her life. Her parents, Christopher Elson and Carolyn Elson, told the court that her mental health had been affected by the domestic abuse she faced. They said that Sean forced her to distance herself from her friends and family. They had no idea of their daughter's wedding until she posted about it on Facebook.

The trial continues.