Hotel scuffle before death

Press, 16 September 1987, Page 6

Hotel scuffle before death

A man lapsed into unsonciousness, was resuscitated, but later died in hospital after a struggle with hotel staff at a city hotel, Senior Constable Robin Fraser Cocks told the Coroner’s Court yesterday. Darryl Mark Nicholls, aged 31, died on June 19, 1987, from cardiac arrest due to myocarditis the coroner found. The constable told the court Mr Nicholls was admitted unconscious to hospital on June 17 and was unconscious until he died on June 19.

He said inquiries showed Mr Nicholls had been apprehended on June 17 at a hotel trying to steal a bottle of alcohol. While struggling with hotel staff he appeared to

have been struck on the face by a hotel patron assisting staff.

He said Mr Nicholls had to be forcibly held down until police arrived. While being held down he lapsed into unconsciousness and' stopped breathing, but was resuscitated then taken to hospital. The injuries were considered not serious enough to have caused his death and police found he was suffering from a medical condition affecting his heart, and cardiac arrest would have been brought on by the scuffle at the hotel. He said no further police action had been taken and that the person who had struck Mr Nicholls on the face had not been found.