Deny, deny, deny
What student society texted each other after fresher died in drink-fuelled initiation
STUDENTS running a drink-fuelled initiation ritual mounted a cover-up after a fresher’s death, a coroner heard yesterday.
Ed Farmer, who was studying at Newcastle University, died after downing ‘excessive amounts of alcohol’ at the Agriculture Society event.
When police launched an investigation, students texted each other saying ‘deny, deny, deny’.
Northumbria Police found no criminal offences were committed and handed the case over to the coroner. But the force has been told to set out details of its investigation before a full inquest can take place. Mr Farmer, 20, was in a life-threatening condition when his friends took him to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle at around 5.45am on December 13 last year.
He died the following day with his parents, Jeremy and Helen, at his bedside.
Through their solicitor, Simon Kernyckyj, they raised concerns yesterday that key evidence might have been ignored and the wrong witnesses questioned. Mr Kernyckyj told the pre-inquest review at Newcastle Coroner’s Court that two students who had been given health and safety training before the event were not interviewed by officers.
A friend said Mr Farmer had ‘got really drunk’ and that senior members of the society ‘ didn’t realise he had stopped breathing until it was too late’.
Male members of the group are known as ‘ bulls’ and, since 1974, female members have been called ‘daisies’. The society has its own rugby and football teams as well as a reputation for organising alcoholfuelled events.
Addressing coroner Karen Dilks yesterday, Mr Kernyckyj said: ‘There were text messages circulating after the incident which said “deny, deny, deny” before they were interviewed by police.
‘Although there were 20 to 30 first year students at this gathering ... there were only three first-years interviewed, and these were the people who were effectively the subject of this event. There appears to be a disproportionate interest in those who were running this event.
‘I want to know from the police if they had considered interviewing more first-years.
‘Mr and Mrs Farmer are concerned that no investigation of phones was undertaken apart from one statement which said the police looked at a phone and took some photographs.’
Police will now submit a detailed statement to the coroner. It must set out the framework of their investigation, covering the issues raised by Mr Farmer’s family.
Newcastle University yesterday refused to disclose whether any students had been disciplined over the event. A spokesman said: ‘As this case is now in the hands of the coroner, pending the outcome of the inquest it would be inappropriate to comment at this time.’
There will be a second pre-inquest review before the full hearing, which is due to take place in May.
Mr Farmer, a talented economics student, had been a pupil at £31,000a-year Oakham School in Rutland.
The case comes amid widespread concern over teenage deaths caused by the university drinking culture.
Students have died following initiation rites at Staffordshire, Hull and Exeter universities.