27 June 2023 , 10:15
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A man on holiday in Jamaica died after attempting to drink all 21 cocktails on the hotel pool bar menu, an inquest heard.
Timothy Southern, from Lichfield, Staffordshire, met two Canadian women who had been trying to complete the challenge to mark one of their birthdays and the 53-year-old decided to join them.
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, his inquest heard.
He became sick and later died at the hotel. Now loved-ones have hit out at hotel staff, including a nurse, over how the situation was handled after the alarm was raised.
Timothy was on holiday with his sister, children, and other relatives when the tragedy struck in May, 2022.
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The pool at Royal Decameron Club Caribbean, in Saint Ann (Royal Decameron Club Caribbean)The family say they alerted staff when they realised he was seriously ill.
Speaking at his inquest, one of them 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.
Timothy had drunk 12 cocktails, plus beer and brandy when he became ill (stock image) (Getty Images)"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.
Staffordshire area coroner Emma Serrano has ruled the death was alcohol-related.