‘Real doubt’ that footballer intended to take his own life
APOPULAR and talented footballer who died after a New Year party may not have intended to kill himself, a coroner has ruled.
Kyle Jones’ body was discovered in a garden in Tondu, Bridgend, on January 2.
An inquest into his death heard that the 29-year-old had become a cocaine user after a holiday in Magaluf with friends last year.
He had taken the drug with vodka at a New Year house party hours before his death and became “irrational and aggressive”, the inquest heard.
Kyle, of Brackla, Bridgend, began smashing ornaments after breaking up an argument between his two brothers.
His mother, Dianne Tantrum, 50, said: “He had lots of friends and was very popular.” She added that his father had been a heroin addict and took his own life when Kyle was seven. “He was not affected by it because he was so young and said he would never do it because of the effect it had on his family,” she said. “Kyle was a good footballer and had trials with Cardiff City.
“He was playing for Llangeinor FC and scored a hat trick in his last game. He was very pleased.”
Mrs Tantrum was asked if there was any reason why Kyle would want to end his life.
She told the Aberdare inquest: “The only thing I can think of is that he felt torn between his brothers and didn’t know how to deal with it.
“I think he was worrying about the argument and felt alone.”
Hours after the argument the builder was found hanged.
Tests revealed his alcohol level was almost three times the driving limit and cocaine was found in his bloodstream.
His brother, Nathan Tantrum, who was at the party, told the hearing in written evidence: “He was extremely intoxicated, on a scale of one to 10 I would say he was a 10. Kyle was deep – always stressing and thinking. Weeks before this he had been talking about how he wanted his funeral arranged.”
But Bridgend coroner Andrew Barclay said no suicide note was found and there was “real doubt” that Kyle intended to kill himself.
He told his family: “The facts are that he had alcohol on board and he had taken cocaine.
“I can’t tell you the impact that would have had on him but there is clear evidence that he was behaving in an irrational and aggressive way.
“He was disorientated and shouting at someone who wasn’t there.
“The impact of the argument, the alcohol and cocaine all form a doubt in my mind. I’m going to dismiss the suggestion of suicide in this case.”
The coroner recorded a narrative verdict that Kyle died from the effects of suspension but said his intentions were unclear.