Neil McCormick, the former 36-year old head of equity derivatives at UBS in London and a former JPMorgan exotics trader, plunged to his death voluntarily after snorting a line of cocaine off a plate at a barbecue in his honor.

There were reports from the bank in June that the head of Asian equity trading had died, but we are just now finding out how it happened.

The story unfolds in the Daily Mail:

After treating himself to steak and a beer [at a party], the banker was seen by Connor Kelly, the owner of the house in Holland Park, west London, snorting a line of cocaine from a plate in the kitchen.

Then, his friend explains:

If he had ever taken drugs in the past it didn’t always react well with him. 'I was concerned because he seemed upset. I know that Neil could get a little bit paranoid at times and he seemed a little bit paranoid.

He walked around the room and then out onto the balcony... I followed him just to find out what was wrong.

[He didn't respond when I called to him, and then I watched as he stepped one of his feet out onto the balcony.]

'Just for the briefest moment he steadied himself before he stepped off.'

The police are blaming the cocaine. Reports say he had taken 1.5x the normal recreational level of the drug.

Sadly, for many, the last image they will have of McCormick is him snorting cocaine off a plate in the kitchen.

So in case you needed another reason, don't do drugs.

Read the full story in the Daily Mail >>