A holidaymaker who was kicked out of a Caribbean hotel after smashing up his room was later found hanged in a police station corridor, an inquest heard. Craig Reed, of Oldham, died in the Dominican Republic on November 9, 2022.
The dad-of-one, who struggled with mental health problems and alcoholism, had taken the fortnight-long holiday after inheriting some money. But, the inquest at Rochdale coroners’ court heard, within a few days of arriving he began ‘drinking excessively’ resulting in staff at the five star Bahia Principe Grand in La Romana refusing to serve him any more alcohol.
However Mr Reed, 40, continued drinking away from the hotel and on November 8 ’caused quite significant damage’ to his hotel room. He was ejected from the hotel and also banned from his return flight with TUI.
The hotel initially demanded he pay $1,100 to repair the damage, but after Mr Reed said he couldn’t afford that amount they allowed him to leave without paying anything.
Staff booked Mr Reed into new accommodation in the city of La Romana. But on November 9 he was found ‘intoxicated’ on a street close to a school. A local police report described him as ‘causing an affray’.
After a paramedic was dispatched to help him, Mr. Reed become “aggressive,” prompting the police to be summoned. At this time, an unidentified person sent voicemails and Whatsapp messages in Spanish to Kelly Royales, a support worker from Mr. Reed’s GP practice in Failsworth who was helping him with his mental health concerns. The photo of Mr. Reed in what seemed to be an ambulance was also received.
Mr. Reed was brought to the Bayahibe tourist police station at approximately 5:45 p.m. and given a mattress in the hallway. He was discovered hanging about 9:30 p.m. Det Insp Victoria Duncan stated that the Dominican Republic’s officials had not assisted Greater Manchester Police in their investigation into Mr. Reed’s death, despite multiple attempts to get in touch with them.
“Whether he had been assaulted was one of the main concerns,” she continued. There was no proof that Craig had suffered any kind of physical harm.”
A Dominican Republic post-mortem revealed hanging as the cause of death. The UK then held a second post mortem.
The same cause of death was reported by pathologist Dr. Charles Wilson, but he claimed that the first post-mortem and the embalming of Mr. Reed’s body for repatriation had tainted his inquiry.
In 100 milliliters of urine, a toxicology report found 831 mg of alcohol—roughly eight times the legal limit in England—for driving. Although it was the highest level Dr. Wilson had ever observed, he added that it is regular protocol in toxicology testing conducted in the UK.
A plastic fabricator by trade, Mr. Reed ‘doted’ on his son, according to the inquiry. He was characterized by his ex-partner Georgie Jones as a ‘introvert’ who seemed ‘bubbly and outgoing’. She stated: “He was a good person but he would have periods where the drink would take over.”
During the inquest, it was revealed that Mr. Reed had experienced childhood trauma and was diagnosed with depression, PTSD, alcoholism, and emotionally unstable personality disorder. Over the years, he had attempted “multiple suicide attempts.”
He had also made a vacation to Tenerife in the months prior to his death, when he had been involved in an alcohol-related incident that resulted in his arrest, ejection from the hotel, and rough sleeping.
Steven Reed, Mr. Reed’s father, stated before the inquest that he was still unsure of many things regarding the death of his son. He remarked, “How was he able to wake up and do that [take his own life] if he had that much alcohol in his system?”
“What made him be in a hallway? Why was he left alone? There are numerous items that are simply off-balance.
It simply isn’t logical. I have my own judgments, regardless of what anyone else concludes. That is not something Craig would do, and he would never do it to [his son].
Joanne Kearsley, a senior coroner, recorded an open verdict. “I know how frustrating it must be to you as a family that we cannot answer the questions you want,” she added, speaking to the family of Mr. Reed.
“The autopsy results from the Dominican Republic confirm that hanging was the cause of death. The reason of death could not be explained in any other way.
There was nothing on his body’s exterior that would indicate a significant attack. No bones were broken.
“I’m not sure what transpired during the crucial hours he was detained before he passed away. I am going to record an open conclusion due to that total lack of information.
“There is evidence that points to the possibility that he injured himself, but not enough, in my opinion, to conclude that it is more likely than not. In actuality, there are still unanswered questions concerning Craig’s passing.”
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