Deaths riddle’s hit by Colombo delay

TWO Durham rugby players who died on a tour of Sri Lanka were found suffering from respiratory failure in their hotel rooms following a night out, an inquest heard.

Thomas Howard and Thomas Baty, members of the Clems Pirates team at Durham City Rugby Club, had travelled to the island’s capital Colombo, for a tour on May 9.

An inquest into their deaths was opened at County Durham Coroner’s Court yesterday, but adjourned while an ongoing police investigation is carried out.

In an opening statement, the timeline of their final night out was revealed.

On Saturday, May 12, the team had taken part in a match with the Ceylonese Rugby Team, after which the local team shared a meal and drinks with the visitors.

Afterwards, they returned to their hotel, the Kingsbury, in Colombo, before heading out on tuk-tuk auto rickshaws to a nightclub at around 11pm.

They stayed at the club, ‘Cleopatras,’ until between 2am and 3am, when some team members visited the hotel’s ‘Sky Bar.’

Mr Howard and Mr Baty are understood to have left the club together, sharing a tuk-tuk back to the hotel.

The next morning, they were found in their hotel rooms “suffering from serious respiratory failure”.

Mr Howard died that morning on the way to Nawaloka Hospital, while Mr Baty died on Tuesday, May 15, in the hospital’s ICU.

Durham police told the court officers were aware of and had requested further evidence from the authorities in Sri Lanka including witness statements, CCTV, photographs and transcripts of interviews.

However, it was said it was uncertain when that evidence would be finalised and be in their hands.

A Sri Lankan investigation concluded that Mr Howard’s death was caused by intoxication of heroin, while Mr Baty died from an overdose of “an opiate drug” which has not been specified.

The inquest has been adjourned while the police investigation continues, and will be revisited in December.

After their deaths, a spokesman for Durham City RFC said: “The Howard and Baty families have requested that their right to privacy is respected.”