The Herald

Cricketer hit by train fleeing from police ‘was on drugs’

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A COUNTY cricketer was struck by a train as he attempted to flee police after driving while on a cocktail of drink and drugs, an inquest heard.

Tom Maynard, who had been tipped as a future England internatio­nal, was found dead near Wimbledon Park station on the London Undergroun­d District line s hor t ly af t e r 5am on Monday, June 18, last year.

The 23-year-old Surrey batsman suffered multiple injuries caused by the impact of the train and from touching a live electric railway line, Westminste­r Coroner’s Court heard.

He had been stopped by police less than an hour before his death when he was seen driving erraticall­y, but he fled the vehicle.

A post-mortem examinatio­n showed he was nearly four times the legal drinkdrive limit and had taken cocaine and ecstasy in the form of MDMAafter a night out with two team-mates.

Tests on hair samples indicted Mr Maynard may have been a daily drug user in the months before his death, the inquest heard.

Forensic pathologis­t Dr Simon Poole told the jury Mr Maynard suffered burns to his feet and ankles which were consistent with injuries caused by touching live railway tracks.

It was not possible to say, however, whether electrocut­ion or the impact with t he train c a used Mr Maynard’s death, he added.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

 ??  ?? TOM MAYNARD: Batsman took cocaine and MDMA.
TOM MAYNARD: Batsman took cocaine and MDMA.

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