Student was ‘nervous’ in advance of ‘initiation’
20-YEAR-OLD DIED AFTER NIGHT OF DRINKING
A NEWCASTLE University fresher was ‘nervous and physically shaking’ as he embarked on the initiation event that would claim his life, an inquest heard.
Edward Farmer, known as Ed, died from excessive alcohol consumption after an Agricultural Society event in December 2016.
An inquest at Newcastle Coroner’s Court heard at the start of the night, around 20 freshers were told to line up against a wall and hand over a bottle of spirits and £30 they were told to bring with them to buy drinks.
The hearing was told Mr Farmer, 20, was described as “nervous and physically shaking” when he handed over his bottle and money.
The group made their way around Newcastle on a bar crawl before getting the Metro back to a house in West Jesmond where first years were sprayed with livestock spray, had their heads shaved and were told to crawl through sheep’s hurdles and drink vodka through a pig’s head before apple bobbing in urine. One witness described Ed being “terrified” and “trying to run away” as he was taken down the escalator at Monument Metro station.
CCTV footage played at the hearing showed Ed being carried down the escalator and on to the train as he was too drunk to walk.
At the third day of the inquest, witnesses said the Agricultural Society initiation ceremony was a tradition dating back 30 years, and that initiations were “widespread”, despite being banned by Newcastle University.
Edward Hinch, a first year student at the time of the incident, said when Mr Farmer received the invitation he was “keen, slightly nervous”.
“I don’t think we really wanted to lose our hair but we weren’t bothered really. We were mainly excited,” he said.
Mr Hinch said they were encouraged to drink on the night, adding, “You’re on a lads’ night, you’re sort of egged on.”
Briony Ballard, representing Mr Farmer’s family, asked Mr Hinch about a text he sent after the event referring to Mr Farmer at the Metro station.
It said: “He was properly f ***** , he was like terrified and trying to run away.” Asked about the message, Mr Hinch said: “[Ed] seemed worried or out of control.”
Another witness, Henry Lindley, was asked about a statement in which he said other students told him Mr Farmer “looked nervous when his drink and money were taken off him at the beginning of the night, and was physically shaking at that time”.
And then-first year student Henry Sweeting said Mr Farmer was “more nervous than I was” on the day of the event as they shopped for items they had been told to bring, which included a bottle of spirits, swimming goggles, a Kinder Egg and some lubrication.
Mr Sweeting said the atmosphere among first years when they were waiting for the night to start was “shaky, nervousness, a lot of speculation about what would happen”.
Ms Ballard asked Mr Sweeting about a police statement in which he said: “No-one wanted to be the fresher who asked to leave. I believe we would not be respected later if we left. No-one left, we were all scared.”
In evidence Mr Sweeting said he believed if they had left it would have meant “just being the subject of a few jokes”.
Another second year student at the time, Alexander Blott, was asked about footage of him in Bar Beyond pointing at students, followed by them drinking.
Ms Ballard asked him: “Were you instructing individual students to drink?” Mr Blott replied: “I wouldn’t say I was instructing. Encouraging, yes, but not instructing or forcing.”
A statement from the 11 student witnesses who have given evidence at the inquest was read out at the hearing.
It said: “We would like to give our heartfelt condolences to the Farmer family for the tragic loss of their son Ed.
“Ed was a dear friend of us all and we continue to deeply miss him.”
The hearing is expected to conclude today.