Woman dies in fall 'trying to flee police'

An 18-year-old convicted thief fell to her death from the 17th floor of a block of flats in an apparent bid to escape police yesterday.

Scotland Yard faces an inquiry from the police watchdog after it emerged officers were attempting to recall her to prison when she fell from a window.

The woman had been convicted in connection with three street robberies in London in 2009, and was out on licence after serving part of her sentence, Scotland Yard said.

Neighbours described how the "friendly" teenager's death was witnessed by children on the estate. Witnesses also said a row could be heard from the flat before she fell. Neighbour Prince Langlais, 42, criticised police for the time it took to cover the woman's body.

Police arrived at the flat in Mulgrave Road, in Woolwich, south-east London, at 9.30am "to carry out an arrest inquiry". Area Commander David Zinzan of the Metropolitan Police expressed condolences to her family, and said that "initial investigations show that she was in a room on her own when tragically she fell to her death from the 17th floor".

A man, understood to be her boyfriend, was arrested at the time on suspicion of assisting an offender. He has since been bailed.