Death of man who fell in London high-rise railing incident being investigated as possible corporate manslaughter, coroner hears

The death of a man who fell after balcony railings gave way is being investigated as a potential corporate manslaughter, according to a pre-inquest review.

Joshua Robbins, 23, died on 29 January after falling five floors from the communal landing outside his father's flat in Newton Street, London.

He went to see if the pizza they ordered had arrived, and leaned over the railings, which then gave way. His father, Will Robbins, 49, watched his son fall to his death.

St Pancras Coroner's Court heard during a pre-inquest review on Tuesday that the Metropolitan Police is now carrying out a corporate manslaughter investigation in relation to Mr Robbins's death.

Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association is complying with requests for material, the court also heard, and the Met Police is liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service in the investigation.

The pre-inquest review also heard from Detective Inspector Mark Paterson, who said the scene of Mr Robbins's death was examined at the time and a forensic engineer attended.

DI Paterson said: "It's an ongoing investigation, a lot of the material is held by ISHA who are fully compliant with requests that are being made at this stage."

CCTV has also been obtained. Senior coroner Mary Hassell scheduled another pre-inquest review for 6 January 2027.

See more from Sky News:
Revealed: The areas of the country facing drought
Trump sends warning to Houthis over blockade

Fiona Garrett, Joshua's mother, previously told Sky News that she has since set up No More Falls, a campaign calling for mandatory safety standards for high-rise buildings that "have these set-ups, or window boxes, balconies".

She told The UK Tonight With Sarah-Jane Mee in March that her son's death has "to mean something, he can't just disappear and have no reason behind it".

The 46-year-old, originally from Essex, sent an email to her son's local MP, the former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, requesting a meeting as part of her campaign for justice.

"I want people to actually understand that this isn't going to go away," she said to Sky News. "I don't want to hear 'lessons learnt', I don't want to be palmed off with nonsense, I want to see actual action.

"That's the least I deserve; our family deserves that. Joshua's life mattered, so his death matters even more."

Pippa Fleetwood-Read, chief executive at Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association (ISHA), which manages the site, gave Sky News a statement at the time.

She said: "Joshua's tragic death at the end of January has been deeply distressing for everyone who knew him. We know his death has had a profound effect on his parents, family, friends and neighbours - and we offer our heartfelt and sincerest condolences to them at this incredibly difficult time.

"We are doing everything we can to support everyone living at Holland and Thurstan Dwellings, including offering counselling support, having a daily on-site presence, including a dedicated officer visiting twice weekly to listen directly to any concerns they may have. We are keeping the residents informed by sending a weekly written update."

(c) Sky News 2026: Death of man who fell in London high-rise railing incident bein