A TALENTED GAA player died after falling down a 30ft stairwell while on a stag do in Tyneside.
Cavan native Gary Martin had flown to Newcastle with a group of friends on Friday, May 31, 2013 for the pre-nuptial celebrations, an inquest held at Newcastle Civic Centre heard on Friday (August 1).
The 28-year-old, who hailed from Drumcrow in Carrickaboy, enjoyed a first night out with friends in Newcastle city centre before returning to the Premier Inn in Swalwell, Gateshead, in the early hours of Saturday, June 1.
According to his friend Aidan McCann, whose evidence was read out at the inquest, the group continued drinking back at the hotel bar.
He claimed he last saw his friend alive when he left the group to go back to his room at 5pm that Saturday, adding that he ‘seemed drunk’.
“The next thing I heard was someone had fallen over the bannister”, added McCann, who went to the stairs and found his friend lying at the bottom.
Mr Martin, who had previously played for his local side Denn GFC, was taken to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary at around 5.50pm.
Consultant Dr Huw McConnell told the inquest it was obvious Mr Martin’s condition was critical on arrival.
“Gary was not breathing for himself. He had an extensive injury to his head,” he said.
Mr Martin was put on a life support machine and underwent a CT scan - which identified an extensive skull fracture and air inside his skull.
With swelling and extensive bleeding also located in and around the brain, doctors at the hospital were ‘pessimistic’ that the young man could be saved, according to Dr McConnell.
“Even at that stage it was not something they thought Gary was going to recover from,” he confirmed.
Although kept under observation, Mr Martin went on to develop a chest infection and died on June 8.
The sportsman had previously suffered a head injury following an attack in Australia, but Dr McConnell claimed his death was unconnected.
He instead confirmed that Mr Martin died as a result of a severe brain injury after falling from a significant height.
Assistant Coroner Andrew Hetherington gave a verdict of accidental death.
