Cork chef died instantly after fall from a height following night out, inquest hears

Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster, said that death would have occurred immediately

MTU graduate Scott Gallagher worked as a chef at the Market Lane Restaurant in Cork for five years and was universally liked. File picture: Larry Cummins

A chef returned from a night out and went on to the flat roof of the house he was sharing only to fall from a height dying instantly, an inquest in Cork has heard. 

MTU graduate Scott Gallagher worked as a chef at the Market Lane Restaurant in Cork for five years and was universally liked.

Cork City Coroner's Court heard that there was a going away event organised for a member of staff on the evening of January 30 of this year. As a result, Scott and a few of his friends socialised in the Crane Lane pub in Cork City. He then returned to his house share in Douglas Street in Cork.

Josh Lee, who was a friend of the deceased, said that everyone was in good spirits at the pub. Towards the end of the night he asked Scott if he needed his help walking home as he was after alcohol. Scott said that he "felt fantastic" and left to go home.

Spanish national Antonio Alba Sanchez, said that he and his roommate Scott were good friends and used to teach each other their respective languages. He stated that the five roommates were "like family."

He gave evidence that as they were five people sharing the house, and only one bathroom, the males often used to urinate into a drain pipe on the flat roof.

Discovery of Scott Gallagher's body

Mr Sanchez told Coroner Philip Comyn that he got up at 6am on the morning of  January 31 last for work and noted that the door to the flat roof was open. He closed the door. He spotted Scott's hat in the bathroom and his phone and jacket on the floor of the living room. He then went to work.

"Maria (Antonio’s girlfriend who stayed overnight) rang at 10.30am to say to 'get home' that something had happened to Scott." Mr Sanchez said that urinating into the drain was a "regular occurrence" amongst the male roommates.

Marc Massague Recasens, who shared a house and worked with Scott, told the inquest that the first he knew of anything unusual was when he got a call from a member of staff at the Market Lane restaurant on the morning of January 31 asking him if he knew why Scott had not turned up for work.

He couldn't find Scott in the property and went out onto the roof to see if Scott had gone out to urinate. It was unusual for Scott not to go to work as Marc said he was a "really good worker."

Mr Recasens spotted Mr Gallagher lying on the ground on the floor below with people gathered around him. "I saw him lying on the ground. I just saw enough of him to see his face. I got really scared."

A nearby resident in Dunbar St, Aoife O'Donoghue, had raised the alarm having spotted the body of Mr Gallagher on the ground at about 9.55am on January 31. She said she checked for a pulse but couldn't find one and one of her roommates started chest compressions to no avail. Mr Gallagher was pronounced dead at the scene.

Detective Sergeant Liam Lynch conducted an investigation into the death. Scenes of crimes officers examined the flat and spoke to witnesses. There was no suggestion of foul play.

As part of his investigation, Det. Sgt Lynch went out on to the flat roof at night and found that the only light available to a person at that time was a street light.

'He wouldn't have suffered'

Meanwhile, Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster, who carried out the post-mortem on the deceased said that Mr Gallagher died from injuries consistent with an accidental fall from a height.

She said that blood alcohol levels were consistent with Scott having had eight or nine pints. There was no drug taking. Dr Bolster said that the high level of alcohol would have impacted on Mr Gallagher's co-ordination on the night. 

She said that Mr Gallagher fell from a height on to the right side of his body and that death would have occurred immediately.

"He had immediate loss of consciousness. Once he fell he didn't know anything at all. He wouldn't have suffered." Dr Bolster said that Mr Gallagher died of a severe traumatic brain injury consistent with a fall from a height.

Mr Comyn returned a verdict of misadventure in the case offering his deepest condolences to parents Sharon and Seamus and to the siblings and wider family of Mr Gallagher.

"There is very little I can say to ease the pain of the family and friends. It is a terrible tragedy. Death would have been instant. He would not have suffered."

Sgt Fergus Twomey also sympathised with the family saying that it was "every parent's worst nightmare."