A SOUTHAMPTON mother celebrating her birthday watched on as her son threw himself to his death from a city tower block, an inquest heard.

Jurijus 'Juri' Trofimovas jumped head-first from his fourth-floor window during a party for his mother, Lyudmila, Winchester Coroner's Court was told on Wednesday.

She rushed to his side but found him dead.

The inquest heard how the 32-year-old was battling depression, alcohol problems and unemployment after his ex-partner kept him from seeing his children.

He was seeing a psychiatrist and trying to treat his drink problem but drank more than 100ml of vodka during the party.

On March 10, the family, from Lithuania, met at the Trofimovas' flat in Hampton Towers, International Way, to mark Ms Trofimova's birthday.

Daily Echo:

Anna Kaminska, Mr Trofimovas' sister, said he was in a good mood as they joined their mother, her husband Sergei, brother-in-law Bartlomiej Kaminski and 10-year-old brother Alex.

But in a statement, Lyudmila Trofimovas told the hearing how her son stood by the kitchen window that evening as she called for him to say goodbye to relatives.

"He didn't answer, and without any warning jumped out of the window head-first," she said. "It happened in seconds.

"When I ran out into the street I was the first person to approach Juri.

"Bartlomiej helped me and and he started to give [CPR]. I took Juri by the hand and realised he was dead."

Mr Trofimovas was fighting through social services for access to his children, aged two and three, after splitting from his partner, the inquest was told. He had seen them just once since the break-up in November.

Ms Kaminska said his drink problem got worse during the battle and he lost his job, adding that he had not discussed hurting himself.

He was arrested last year for "threats to kill", she added, but the case was dropped. No one was named at the inquest as recipient of the alleged threats.

Mr Trofimovas drank a glass of champagne and around 130ml of vodka at the party but was not intoxicated, the inquest heard.

"Juri's suicide was completely unexpected," Ms Trofimovas added in her statement. "Nothing in his behaviour had put me on my guard that evening."

Recording a verdict of suicide, senior central Hampshire coroner Grahame Short said Mr Trofimova's depression was exacerbated by the struggle with social services.

He said: "I find that this had increased as a result of the end of his relationship with a woman who was the mother of his two children and I note that he had lost his job, that he was not seeing his children.

"It's well established that drinking alcohol affects mood in itself, causes depression itself and increases low mood, and I think that's largely what happened in this case."