Fresher drank himself to death, inquest rules

An inquest has ruled that a University of Exeter fresher found dead in November 2006 died of alcohol abuse.

Gavin Britton drank himself to death at a university golf society initiation ceremony in which about 20 members of the group took part in a night of ‘pub golf.'

The students were required to visit nine pubs and scored points for drinking. Penalty drinks were awarded to those who failed to finish each drink within 30 seconds or in a designated number of swigs.

At the inquest, a fellow student reported that Mr Britton drank four vodkas, three pints of cider, a glass of wine and numerous sambucas before downing a pint of spirits.

Tests showed that the he had 211mg of ethanol per 100ml of blood and 294mg of ethanol per 100ml of urine. The legal drink-drive limit in the United Kingdom is 35mg.

Dr Paul Newman, a consultant pathologist at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, said that the alcohol levels found in Mr Britton after his death were not usually fatal, but in the student's case excessive alcohol consumption caused him to inhale vomit into his lungs, choking him.

Mr Britton’s friends said during the hearing how binge drinking was "usual behaviour" during initiation ceremonies at the university. The Univerity of Exeter has banned all student society initiation ceremenonies.