A coroner has opened a full inquest into the death of Paula Williamson, the estranged wife of notorious prisoner Charles Bronson, after being unable to establish a cause of death.
The former Coronation Street actress, 38, was discovered at home by her partner in Gordon Avenue, Sneyd Green, Stoke-on-Trent on July 29, assistant coroner Sarah Murphy said.
Staffordshire Police had previously confirmed the death was not suspicious, but opening an inquest into the death on Thursday, Miss Murphy said there was reason to suspect the death was unnatural.
“We do not have a cause of death,” she said, sitting at Stoke and North Staffordshire Coroner’s Court.
“Due to the circumstances, there is reason to suspect the death was unnatural, so an inquest will need to take place.
“I am not going to give a date of inquest at this stage.”
She added: “I will provide an update to the family by September 19; either an update or date of inquest, depending on how quick we get the evidence through but I open an inquest now into death of Paula Salvador.”
The hearing was adjourned for a date to be set.
Paula met Bronson, who is often referred to as “the most violent prisoner in Britain”, in late 2016.
He has spent 44 years in jail for robbery and kidnap.
They wed in a prison chapel at HMP Wakefield, where he is serving an indefinite sentence, in November 2017.
In July last year, Paula appeared on Loose Women to reveal Bronson was planning to divorce her, and their marriage was due to be dissolved.
Paula had previously had three unnamed roles in Coronation Street, as well as a part in Emmerdale.