Tragic teenager died after taking ecstasy at Leeds Festival: Coroner warns taking illicit drugs like playing '˜Russian roulette'

A CORONER warned that taking illicit drugs is like playing 'Russian roulette' after an inquest heard a 17-year-old boy died after taking Ecstasy at Leeds Festival.
DRUGS DEATH: Teenager Lewis HaunchDRUGS DEATH: Teenager Lewis Haunch
DRUGS DEATH: Teenager Lewis Haunch

Wakefield Coroner’s Court heard Lewis Haunch collapsed almost immediately after taking the drug at Leeds Festival at Bramham Park near Wetherby on Saturday August 27 2016.

He went into cardiac arrest and was cared for by a medical team at the festival before being transferred to St James’s Hospital in Leeds.

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His death was confirmed in the early hours the following morning.

The inquest was told one of Lewis’s friends told police he had seen him pour a gramme of Ecstasy in to a water bottle before drinking from the bottle and falling ill.

Consultant histopathologist Dr Leslie Davidson said results of a post mortem concluded Lewis, of Leigh, Greater Manchester, died from ecstasy poisoning.

Detective sergeant Dean Hopley of West Yorkshire Police, said enquiries had been undertaken to try and discover who had supplied the ecstasy to Lewis.

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Reading Det Sgnt Hopley’s statement, senior coroner David Hinhcliff, said: “You say it’s not possible to prove who sold the drugs to Lewis which caused his death.”

The inquest heard Lewis had probably acquired the ecstasy in the Leigh area.

Police investigations revealed Lewis was a regular recreational drug user, the inquest was told.

Recording a verdict of drugs related death, senior coroner Mr Hinchliff, said: “I hope the publicity cases like this and Lewis’s death will attract will advise other young people just how dangerous illicit substances are.”

Mr Hinchliff added: “Using substances like this is rather like playing Russian roulette in many respects. I really do hope that the publicity might advise others as to the foolishness of doing this.”

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