Father died in Sandbanks Hotel fall tragedy (From Bournemouth Echo)

Father died in Sandbanks Hotel fall tragedy

8:00am Thursday 5th November 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share

A SON has told of his desperate attempts to save his father, who was hanging by his fingertips from a fourth floor hotel balcony.

Despite his efforts, 43-year-old scaffolder Christopher Riley plunged to his death.

Mr Riley had gone to his son Nicholas’s room after a ball and eight-course dinner at the Sandbanks Hotel, Poole, part of a freemasons ladies weekend, after finding he didn’t have a key for his own neighbouring room.

Bournemouth Coroner’s Court heard Mr Riley senior was nearly three times the drink drive alcohol limit, had taken cocaine and was on anti-depressants.

Nicholas Riley, a 23-year-old student, from Aldwick in Bognor Regis, left his dad on the balcony to wait for mum Clair as Nicholas’s girlfriend was asleep in the hotel room, at around 2am on September 6. Nicholas drifted off to sleep then heard his father’s shouts for help.

He found his dad had tried to climb to the adjoining balcony, separated by a wall.

The coroner’s court heard Nicholas could lean over the rail to touch his dad but could not get nearer.

Nicholas tried to kick in his dad’s door but when that failed went back to the balcony.

“I tried to grab hold of him. He was a bit too heavy, he was sweaty as well,” he said. “I couldn’t get a grip.”

His father, wearing a black tuxedo but no jacket, lost his grip and fell to the ground, hitting another balcony as he fell.

Nicholas, dressed only in boxer shorts, ran downstairs, put his father into the recovery position, and rushed to reception for first aid and an ambulance before returning.

A statement read out from Christopher Riley’s wife said she had seen her son Nicholas rushing and heard a commotion. She went outside and saw paramedics trying to revive her husband but he passed away.

The coroner’s court heard Mr Riley, who had three children with wife Clair and another son, had extensive injuries and punctured lungs caused by the fractures.

Police found no suspicious circumstances.

East Dorset coroner Sheriff Payne said the drugs and drink were consistent with “inappropriate behaviour and poor decision making”.

He ruled Christopher Riley’s death had been accidental.

“This has brought a happy family event to a tragic close,” he said.

• Print
• Email
• Share