Lauren Goodger appears downcast as she steps out in Essex after inquest

Lauren Goodger made a solemn figure as she stepped into Essex in the wake of her late ex-boyfriend’s inquest following his tragic death last year.

The former TOWIE star, 36, was seen leaving the gym keeping a straight face shortly after it was revealed that Jake McLean was nearly three times over the drink-driving limit and used cocaine when he died in a horrific car crash accident.

The crash happened when the 33-year-old’s Mercedes E-Class spun out of a curve last year and landed upside down in a ravine near the city of Bodrum in Turkey, also seriously injuring passenger and fellow TOWIE star Yazmin Oukhellou.

An inquest into his death has since revealed that he died of “traumatic head injuries.”

At his inquest last week in Walthamstow, coroner Dr Shirley Ratcliffe said: ‘The autopsy found no natural disease, as you would expect in a young man of 33. The cause of death was skull fractures and brain damage.

Hurt: The former TOWIE star, 36, was seen leaving the gym while remaining a straight face shortly after it was revealed that Jake McLean was nearly three times over the drink-driving limit and had been using cocaine when he died in a crash horror car crash

Shock: The crash happened when the 33-year-old’s Mercedes E-Class skidded out of a curve last year and landed upside down in a ravine near the city of Bodrum in Turkey, also seriously injuring passenger and fellow TOWIE star Yazmin Oukhellou

Out and about: After speaking about her pain at the time, Lauren made a steel figure when she stepped out after the inquest

“As far as I can tell, he was driving under the influence nearly three times the legal driving limit and had cocaine in his system. My conclusion is that this is an RTC [road traffic collision].’

When asked by Mr McLean’s mother, Anita Walsh, if there were any further details, Dr Ratcliffe said: ‘Turkey isn’t the most helpful – it took almost a year to get the autopsy.’

Mr McLean was on his way in the early hours on a winding road that cuts through hills and runs from the scenic coastal town of Bodrum to the nearby picturesque resort of Yalikavak.

Plastic debris from the horrific crash was scattered across the scene, while tire tracks were visible through bushes and undergrowth, showing where the car had left the road and then landed in a ravine about ten feet below.

Relaxed: She looked calm after the gym trip

Pained: Lauren and Jake enjoyed a very public romance

Way back then: Lauren and Jake dated from 2012 to 2016 with the former TOWIE star previously admitting she knew about her ex’s criminal misdeeds and was willing to give him a chance

Mr McLean was sentenced to three and a half years in prison in 2008 after breaking into a mother’s home and overpowering her before a masked mob raided the family home.

He allegedly lured his way in by posing as a realtor.

Mr McLean, who was 18 at the time, was part of a gang of six. The other five members rushed into the house with imitation guns and threatened to kill their victims if they screamed for help.

He is believed to have served only half of his sentence and has since served time in prison for other convictions. In 2018, he shared Instagram posts showing him wearing a leg tag.

In 2013, Lauren, who met her former lover via Twitter, admitted she knew about his criminal convictions but was willing to overlook them.

She said, “Jake told me about his past. I could see how much he regretted his actions. I try to take people as I find them.’

Yazmin Oukhellou was seriously injured in the crash and taken to hospital

After the accident, Yazmin underwent cosmetic surgery in London to improve her appearance after her injuries and recently shared details of the accident.

She told The Sun: ‘I tried to wake Jake up but he wouldn’t wake up. I tried to beep on the horn with my foot, but I couldn’t reach it.

‘We were in the middle of nowhere and so shouting for help was no use. I knew I had to get out of the car and somehow I found the strength to free my arm by lifting it with my left hand, raising my right arm and lowering it again for what felt like a eternity until I snapped it loose.’

She then found a man on the road to help her, but when paramedics arrived, Yazmin said she “already knew in her gut that Jake was gone.”

Yazmin – now suffering from PTSD, nightmares, flashbacks and panic attacks – went on to explain that she now wonders why she survived but he didn’t, saying she was angry that he was dead but she was still alive.

She gets therapy for her anxiety after thinking she would never get over it or be able to “not see what she saw.”

The car after the accident that happened on a winding road, notorious for a series of fatal traffic accidents