The father of Wycombe Abbey school pupil who is believed to have taken her own life paid tribute to his “daddy’s girl” at an inquest into her death.

Caitlyn Scott-Lee, 16, was found dead at Wycombe Abbey school on April 21 last year, the day before she was due to have her first ever detention.

The inquest, at Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court on Monday, April 29, heard Caitlyn received the detention after alcohol was found in her locker.

Her father, senior banker Jonathan Scott-Lee, told the inquest that Caitlyn was a “daddy’s girl”.

Senior banker Jonathan Scott-Lee told the inquest: "I – her very own father – failed to help my daughter envision a life full of hope. Whatever she may have felt in the moments leading up to her death, I respect her agency whilst disliking her decision.

"Caitlyn was so much more than autism, Wycombe Abbey, and detention."

Mr Scott-Lee said his daughter, like him, was autistic.

"Although I grew up in an Asian patriarchal culture, I was ecstatic to find out that my first-born would be a daughter. Caitlyn was a Daddy’s girl. I took care of her, dressed her, cuddled her, fed her, and soothed her.

"There was a fierce precociousness in Caitlyn’s love of learning. She loved learning for its own sake preferring to take joy in interesting information rather than develop strategies to merely pass exams.

"In the months before her death, she would be able to name the flags of each nation; she was someone you would want on your pub quiz team!"

"Shortly before her GCSEs were due to begin, she wanted to drop English Literature; language skills such as inference could be challenging but moreover, she maturely pursued a love of learning over an accumulation of grades.

"Like most people, she wanted to do well in everything she signed up for. Of course, we listened to her and yielded although I wonder whether I should have more actively taught her to persevere in an imperfect world, rather than prematurely leap into a perfect heaven."

The case continues.

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