The public inquiry into the death of 20-year-old Plymothian Thomas Delafey was recently held at Exeter Coroner’s Court. The young man was found dead in a ditch in the Netherlands after attending a house party.
A 20-year-old man from Plymouth was tragically found dead in a ditch in Holland, just a week after attending a house party, an inquest has revealed. The public inquiry into the death of Thomas Delafey was recently conducted at Exeter Coroner’s Court by area coroner Deborah Archer.
The court heard from several witnesses following Thomas’s untimely demise in June 2023, revealing that he had attended a bash in a house 20 miles from Amsterdam. However, he mysteriously went missing and his body wasn’t discovered for several days after.
Ms Archer highlighted that Truro-born Thomas had allegedly consumed some amphetamine and GHB at the party. Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is medically used in the treatment of narcolepsy, but it’s also abused as an illegal drug due to its euphoric, drowsy and relaxing effects. It comes after a mum who left work ‘abruptly’ was then found dead in a hotel room.
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The inquest heard that Thomas suffered a psychotic breakdown and experienced paranoia at the party after which he was dropped off at a local hospital in the city of Hoorn. His friend said: “He was really wired. He hadn’t had any real sleep for a few days.”
However, Thomas didn’t register at the hospital and was seen leaving the premises on CCTV footage — but his body wasn’t found for a week after. Dutch police confirmed at the time that Thomas – also known as Taiga Akabane – had been located on a road called Maelsonstraat.
The inquest was told that Thomas, who had distinctive bright hair and piercings, was later found submerged in a water-filled ditch approximately 100 to 200 metres from the hospital, reports DevonLive. His sister Holly shared: “He was a fine young man who was very well liked by his peers.”
She told the inquest that Thomas was “in good spirits and looking forward to the trip and excited”. She described him as a social drinker who indulged in speed and cocaine at parties.
The inquest heard how his friend searched for Thomas for hours without success, eventually reporting him missing to the police the next day. After his disappearance, and just before his body was discovered, Holly told PlymouthLive that Thomas was a “fun and outgoing person”.
She added that he lived life to the fullest and was adored and well-loved by everyone who knew him. Home Office forensic pathologist Dr Amanda Jeffery conducted a post mortem in the UK and stated that Thomas had suffered no obvious injuries.
She said there was no evidence he had stumbled or fallen into the ditch and she could not confirm if he had drowned. She suggested that he would have passed away fairly soon after leaving the hospital in June 2023.
She attributed his death to the combined effects of amphetamine use and immersion in water. Ms Archer recorded a conclusion of misadventure.