Tom Maynard, the former Surrey batsman who died in an incident on the London Underground last year, had significant levels of alcohol and traces of illegal drugs in his system at the time of his death, an inquest in London has heard.
Maynard, who was 23 at the time, was found on the tracks near WimbledonPark tube station in the early hours of June 18. He had been pulled over by an unmarked police car after “driving erratically” but subsequently abandoned his car, a black Mercedes, and fled the scene. The inquest on Tuesday was told that Maynard was more than three times over the legal alcohol limit for driving.
Tests on hair samples revealed evidence of cocaine consistent with regular or habitual use, as well as traces of MDMA – commonly known as ecstasy – a forensic pathologist told the Westminster hearing.
Maynard had been on a night out with team-mates Jade Dernbach and Rory Hamilton-Brown and had decided to visit his girlfriend before being pulled over at around 4am. After evading police, he was found dead around an hour later after being hit by an underground train. Dr Simon Poole was unable to say, however, whether the cause of death had been electrocution or the impact of the train. The driver, Martin Hopping, told the inquest that he had seen a body on the tracks, “not fallen but laid down”, but was unable to stop in time.
Dernbach, the England bowler, and Hamilton-Brown gave evidence to the inquest in which they said they were unaware of Maynard’s drug use. His girlfriend, Carly Baker, also said she did not know he had taken drugs.
Maynard, whose father Matthew played for England and Glamorgan, had been considered a good enough prospect to also play internationally. His family released a statement through the Professional Cricketers’ Association: “The results of the inquest do not define our son. The fact that so very many people thought the world of him is what defines him as a person.
“The only people who would judge Tom on the findings of the inquest are people who didn’t know him. He made choices that night that tragically cost him his life but his devastated family and friends will love and miss him unconditionally always. He was a very special person and his death leaves a huge hole in all our lives.”
Gareth Batty, another of Maynard’s former Surrey team-mates, and the club’s chief executive, Richard Gould, were in attendance at the hearing, as was the PCA chief executive, Angus Porter.
