A coroner has concluded Kyle Tout, 20, died of a drug-related death
A Tiverton young man was found passed away in his hotel room on Christmas Day after his family asked for a welfare check to be carried out when he could not be contacted. Kyle Tout, 20, had checked into the Premier Inn in Tiverton on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2021, and had been planning to spend the following day at his mum's house.
However, when he was not reachable by phone on Christmas morning his mum, Rachel Tout, called the police and was advised to call the hotel to ask them to check on him. Kyle was sadly found passed away and the cause of his death was later confirmed as the toxic effects of cocaine.
An inquest at Exeter Coroners Court today, April 28, heard that three days before his death he declared he had found white powder while on the Moors, which he believed to be drugs, and had taken them. It led to a chain of events which included the breakup of his relationship with his girlfriend, crashing his car and being arrested, and arguing with close family members which resulted in him spending Christmas at the Premier Inn in Tiverton.
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The garden maintenance worker later made amends with his family and it was decided he would spend Christmas Day with them but he never arrived and instead was found passed away in his hotel room. The inquest heard Kyle had a history of illicit drug use and issues with his mental health.
In a statement, Mrs Tout recalled how Kyle had started smoking cannabis in his early teens which escalated to stronger drugs by the age of 16. He also had a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)as well as possible Asperger's syndrome.
She said: "He struggled with life, work and relationships but was one of the nicest, politest lads you could meet with a smile that would light up any room. He had a heart of gold and would do anything for anyone, although he could be violent and unpredictable when using drugs and alcohol."
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The inquest heard that due to his problems, Kyle had lived in a number of different homes, including the Esther community in Exeter which provides housing for young people. He later returned back to living with his mum after coming off drugs again and then moved in with his uncle until December 22, 2021, when he was asked to leave due to his behaviour and stayed a few nights at a local Travelodge before booking into the Premier Inn.
She recalled having a long conversation with him on the night of Christmas Eve which she said was unusual, as was the loving way he ended the call. She said he had sounded confused and slurred.
She added in mid-December his father, who had no contact with from the age of five, passed away.
Mrs Tout said: "Kyle absolutely loved Christmas and he always said then when he grew up and had his own family he would still stay on Christmas Eve. This year he did not seem to have the same enthusiasm."
Believing his death to have been intentional, she said: "Sadly, I think a combination of things lead Kyle to take his own life including being in danger of losing his job, the death of his dad, splitting up with his girlfriend, he could not get a home of his own and he feared going down a bad path again."
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His uncle, Christopher Tout, said he did not believe the overdose was intentional. In a statement, he said he had been sending text messages to Kyle before his death and said: "I don't believe he had any intentions to end his life as some of the comments were looking to the future."
Evidence was also heard from a senior mental health practitioner who assessed Kyle when he was in police custody on December 23 after crashing his car. He was arrested for being unfit to drive through drink and drugs and being in possession of a class A substance and later released under investigation.
In a statement, she said described him as 'clearly being under the influence', but that he denied taking anything prior to driving his car and also denied having any thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
Toxicology tests following his death confirmed he had taken a 'very large amount' of cocaine prior to his death, and a quantity that was much larger than levels associated with cocaine deaths.
Recording a conclusion of drug-related death, assistant coroner for Exeter and Greater Devon Luisa Nicholson said: "I am not satisfied from the evidence before me that he ingested the cocaine as a means to end his life. He had a reckless approach to drug taking and sadly this has proved to be fatal."
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