British holidaymaker in Jamaica dies after trying to drink all 21 cocktails on hotel bar menu, inquest hears

An inquest into the death of Timothy Southern, 53, from Lichfield Staffordshire, heard that he died after taking part in a marathon drinking contest at his hotel in Jamaica. Timothy met two Canadian women who had been trying to complete the challenge to mark one of their birthdays and decided to join them.

The inquest heard he had already drunk beer and brandy in the morning and managed to get through 12 cocktails before going to his room at the Royal Decameron Club Caribbean, in Saint Ann. He later became sick and died at the hotel, with loved-ones hitting out at hotel staff, including a nurse, over how the situation was handled.

Timothy was on holiday with his sister, children, and other relatives when the incident happened in May, 2022. The family say they alerted staff when they realised he was seriously ill, but were not happy with the response.

Speaking at his inquest, one family member said: "He was on his back choking. I put him in the recovery position and screamed for an ambulance. He was making a gurgling sound. As soon as he was in the recovery position he vomited. I was shouting his name with no response.

"When the nurse arrived I said had an ambulance been called and she said ‘no’. I thought she would take over. But that was not the case. I noticed he was starting to lose temperature.

I checked his pulse and couldn’t find it. She said he had a pulse. I was starting to lose it. I got a full look at his face and I thought he had passed away.I said, ‘Don’t just sit there looking at him, start CPR’. She only gave him chest compressions. Maybe if she had known what she was doing, maybe he would still be here. The service and treatment he received was disgusting."

A pathologist in Kingston, Jamaica, gave the cause of death as ‘acute gastroenteritis due to alcohol consumption’. But the inquest heard toxicology reports could take three years to come back from Jamaica.

Coroner for the Staffordshire area, Emma Serrano, has ruled the death was alcohol related.