Yahoo News University student died after rugby initiation drinking game went wrong, coroner hears
A teenage university student died after a rugby initiation drinking game went wrong, a coroner has heard.
Nineteen-year-old Samuel Potter, of Hersham, Surrey, died from alcohol toxicity at a house in Linden, Gloucestershire on May 9 this year.
At a pre-inquest review, at Gloucestershire Coroner's Court on Wednesday, the coroner was told that a number of students attended the university rugby initiation event held at an address in Seymour Road, Linden.
Third and fourth year students are believed to have concocted the alcoholic drinks.
Family, friends and the counsel representing the University of Gloucestershire student attended the review.
Mr Potter’s mother, Lindsey Potter, said: "We want to find out how this situation arose and how it happened, to prevent it from happening again.
"There may be a code of conduct which the university did not follow."
Senior coroner for Gloucestershire Katy Skerrett said: "I am duty bound to issue a PFD report (Prevention of Future Deaths) if I find it to be appropriate."
Police officers, university representatives and students will give evidence at the inquest, the coroner decided.
The inquest will be held on a date to be fixed between February and May 2020 at Gloucestershire Coroner's Court.
Mr Potter, affectionately known as 'Potts', was at the time of his death a committed member of the Esher rugby team.
In a statement from the club, Mr Potter was described as “admired as a player, a natural leader and a mate by everyone that had the honour to play with or coach him”.
Stewart Dove, Student Registrar at the University of Gloucestershire, said: “Staff and students across the University of Gloucestershire community have been deeply saddened by Sam’s tragic death.
“However, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further until the inquest is fully concluded. Our thoughts remain with Sam’s family and friends at this very distressing time.”
In 2011, six students from the University’s rugby and football teams were ordered to stay out of bars for 160 days, after they performed lewd sex acts on a bus.
