Inquest Into Cliff-Fall Death Of Musician Nick Cave's Son Arthur

Inquest Into Cliff-Fall Death Of Musician Nick Cave's Son Arthur

An inquest has been opened and adjourned into the death of musician Nick Cave's teenage son, who fell from a cliff.

Arthur Cave, 15, was found with life-threatening injuries on the underpass of Ovingdean Gap in Brighton, East Sussex, at 6pm on July 14.

The student was taken to the city's Royal Sussex County Hospital but died later that evening. Sussex Police have said his death was not being treated as suspicious.

At the inquest opening in Brighton, coroner's officer Thea Jones said the cause of Arthur Cave's death was from "multiple traumatic injuries due to a fall from a height".

She said: "Emergency services were called at 5.55pm to the underpass between Ovingdean and Rottingdean after a young male was found by two passers-by.

"He had injuries consistent with falling from a great height." Ms Jones said he was pronounced dead at 6.56pm and investigations were continuing.

A full inquest into Arthur Cave's death will take place from 10am on November 20 at a venue to be confirmed, assistant deputy coroner Kate Palmer said.

Ms Palmer said statements would be read from people including the person who was with Arthur on the day he died.

Lawyer Sean Horstead, who attended the hearing with Rachel Willis, Nick Cave's assistant, referred to the reported difficulty that emergency teams had in reaching Arthur.

Mr Horstead asked Ms Palmer whether a statement would be provided relating to that aspect of the case.

Neither Nick Cave or his wife Susie attended the short hearing.

Cave, 57, is an Australian musician and songwriter, best known as being lead singer of the band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, an alternative rock group formed in Melbourne in 1983.

Last year Cave and his wife appeared alongside Arthur and his twin brother Earl in 20,000 Days On Earth, a film documenting a fictitious 24 hours in the singer's life.

Following Arthur's death, Cave and his wife released a short statement through police saying "he was our beautiful, happy, loving boy."

Cave has two other sons, Luke and Jethro.

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