Young footballer died from misadventure, jury rules

originally by: BBC News
published: 20th February 2012

An inquest jury has returned a verdict of death by misadventure in the case of a young footballer who died when a bag of cocaine split inside his body. Former Nottingham Forest academy player Reece Staples, 19, died after being arrested [by police] in June 2009.

The jury heard he had swallowed 19 packets of cocaine to smuggle them into the UK after returning from a holiday in Costa Rica. His father said he hoped others would be deterred from trying the same thing.

The inquest, at Nottingham’s Council House, heard Mr Staples had been arrested for criminal damage at his aunt and uncle’s house in the Old Basford area of Nottingham two days after arriving back in the UK.

He had arrived at the house in an “agitated state” and began smashing windscreens and telling those around him he was going to die. After being arrested he told four different officers he had swallowed drugs but none believed him.

Officers told the inquest they dismissed his comments as he had already lied about having a knife and had tried to run away from them.

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