Porn star Sophie Anderson’s suspected cause of death revealed after ‘suffering vile abuse’ from ex-footballer boyfriend
PORN star Sophie Anderson’s preliminary cause of death has been revealed by the coroner.
Sophie, 36, died on November 29 last year less than two weeks after her boyfriend ex-Crystal Palace footballer Oliver Spedding was found dead at a hotel.
Now, a coroner has told The Sun that Sophie likely died from an overdose of party drug GHB.
He said: “An Inquest has been opened which shows as follows:
The preliminary cause of death is given as being:-
1a. Gamma Hydroxybutyrate Toxicity.”
The coroner also told The Sun that Spedding’s preliminary cause of death was: “Undetermined (Pending Further Laboratory Investigations).”
A full inquest into both deaths will be held in November.
GHB can produce feelings of euphoria, relaxation and sociability in users but it can become addictive, and in large doses can cause poisoning or overdose.
It comes after concerned friends of Sophie’s told The Sun she had been in an abusive relationship with Spedding and claims she had been badly let down by police in the months leading up to her death.
Her heartbroken friends told how glamourous Sophie was subject to extreme physical and mental abuse by Spedding, who allegedly stabbed and beat her, sex trafficked her, stole her money and stopped her from getting medical attention that she desperately needed.
Friends claimed police officers “did not take them seriously” when they reported incidents of abuse against Sophie and they believe it because she was a sex worker – and many of the people who made the reports were also sex workers.
They accuse Spedding of taking Sophie around the UK and forcing her to carry on seeing clients as a sex worker, despite suffering scars from the abuse and losing one of her breasts to a sepsis infection.
Spedding would even pretend Sophie had died in twisted hoaxes to his social media followers after which he would ask for cash from her friends and fans, evidence seen by The Sun shows.
Her death has broken all our hearts, we can’t imagine life without her.”
Friend of Sophie's
Sickening photos shown to The Sun last year, which were too shocking to publish, showed Sophie’s blood-soaked leg with a deep 5 inch gaping wound above her left knee.
In one desperate message to a friend sent back in August, 2023, she sent the picture and wrote: “That’s what he’s done to me tonight. Another cut, U know what babes I’ve had enough. Cut me with a Stanley blade.”
Later in August, Sophie sent a message to a friend in which she feared for her life, which read: “I know I think he will kill me” and in another she tragically wrote: “All I’ve ever been is good. I’ve spent all my money on him. I can’t take anymore.”
One friend revealed to the Sun last year: “There was a whole group of us who were doing everything we could to get Sophie out of this situation and to safety.
“But Oliver was extremely manipulative, he would take Sophie’s phones from her so she couldn’t communicate with any one…
“He made her leave her home and live in a campervan and travel from hotel to hotel all over the country doing appearances and meeting clients, so if any reports were made to police, it was in different jurisdictions and hard to find them as they were of no fixed address.
“I know I think he will kill me”
Sophie Anderson in a text message to a friend
“He knew fine well what he was doing and this allowed him to carry on his abuse for longer.
“He would make her do bookings even when she wasn’t physically well enough to and he would insert his way into them.
“The campervan was urine-soaked and disgusting. Oliver was a big drinker and would drink bottles of Jack Daniels and take GHB.
What is GHB
GHB and GBL – sometimes called liquid ecstasy or G – have sedative and anaesthetic effects and are sold as liquid or rarely powder or capsules. GBL is converted into GHB inside the body.
They can make users feel euphoric, drowsy and relaxed. They can also have sexual effects such as reducing inhibitions.
The drugs are illegal and pose risks to your physical and mental health and are very easy to overdose on. Overdosing on GHB or GBL can cause a person to become unconscious and lead to a coma and death.
It can also cause disorientation and confusion, and regular use can cause users to become addicted or dependent on the drug.
“He plied Sophie was drugs even though Sophie had well known issues with drugs in the past.”
The friend added: “But through it all, she was always her lovely bubbly self and cared for everyone, she was always checking on other people over herself.
“The last time one of us saw her she was skeletal, dishevelled, just emotionally broken. Her death has broken all our hearts, we can’t imagine life without her.”
Friends began contacting police about the abuse in September – and reports were made with three different police forces: the Met, Sussex Police and Thames Valley.
“Police need to look at their treatment of sex workers and how they take reports from sex workers and stop assuming we should be expected to live like this.”
Friend of Sophie's
Spedding was arrested on September 11, Thames Valley Police confirmed but he was released the same day and ignoring his bail restrictions went straight back to Sophie.
On October 6, friends contacted police again, sending Thames Valley Police 30 pieces of graphic evidence, including pictures and text messages.
It is not believed police took any further action and Spedding was found dead in a hotel on November 15.
HOW YOU CAN GET HELP:
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
Sophie died two weeks later in Basingstoke.
Last year a friend urged police to look at how they deal with cases involving sex workers.
They said: “Police need to look at their treatment of sex workers and how they take reports from sex workers and stop assuming we should be expected to live like this.
Sophie wouldn’t want to be remembered as a victim, but a positive, fun, happy person, which she was, even in her darkest times.”
Friend of Sophie's
“Sophie was clearly vulnerable and police should have looked at all the evidence and accounts of abuse they received and considered some kind of intervention with other agencies and taken steps to safeguard her. Oliver should not have been released on bail.
“But despite all of this, Sophie wouldn’t want to be remembered as a victim, but a positive, fun, happy person, which she was, even in her darkest times.”
A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said at the time: “Thames Valley Police does not comment about complaints, as it would be inappropriate to do so.
“The force has a complaints procedure, which allows members of the public to make a complaint about the force or a member of our workforce. Details of our complaints procedure can be found via our website.”
Sussex Police confirmed they had received reports of abuse and passed them to Thames Valley, while the Met said they had received a report of abuse but it was in Sussex so no further action was taken.
GETTING HELP:
If you think that you have a drug addiction then please contact your GP.
You can also visit FRANK for honest information about drugs and to find local treatment services.
If you are having trouble finding the right help, call the FRANK drugs helpline on 03001236600
Or click here to visit the NHS website for more advice and support