'No foul play' in man's sea death

Rory Ryan had been drinking all afternoon before going into the sea

A coroner has ruled there was no evidence of foul play in the death of a Swansea postman who drowned at Mumbles after taking drugs and drinking.

Philip Rogers said he was satisfied no one else was involved in Rory Ryan entering the sea in August 2002.

Mr Rogers said it had been suggested by Mr Ryan's father "there was more to his son's death" but the coroner said he had heard no evidence to support this.

A death by misadventure verdict was returned on Mr Ryan.

The four-day inquest had heard Rory Ryan, 30, had been out with friends at nightclubs in Swansea on 10 August 2002.

It's obviously an extremely dangerous thing for someone to enter water if they are intoxicated or if they have taken drugs Coroner Philip Rogers

He continued drinking into the following day with a man he met that night called Gareth Isherwood.

At around noon they went to Mumbles and witnesses had described seeing the pair on the promenade opposite the Famous Bear pub around 1945 BST in an intoxicated state.

Mr Ryan entered the water where witness Robert Young described watching him "splashing around".

When his head disappeared below the surface, Mr Young and another man went into the water to rescue him, but could not find him.

A full scale sea search followed and the body was recovered almost four hours later.

On at least three occasions, Mr Isherwood gave police the wrong name of the man in the water - which prompted officers to call at the house of a teenager totally unconnected with the incident and tell his family their son was feared drowned.

Subsequent toxicology reports found Mr Ryan had consumed a large quantity of alcohol and there was ecstasy and GHB present in his system.

Mr Rogers said he was satisfied from what he had heard that Mr Ryan used drugs occasionally on a recreational basis.

"There is no evidence that I have heard that Mr Ryan's drink was spiked in any way or that he was forced to take GHB," he said.

He said medical reports suggested that the drink and drugs might have "impaired his ability to act rationally".

"It's obviously an extremely dangerous thing for someone to enter water if they are intoxicated or if they have taken drugs," added Mr Rogers.

"I'm satisfied no-one else was involved in Rory Ryan's action in entering the sea."

'Easily available'

Mr Ryan's father had criticised the initial police investigation into his son's death.

This resulted in the inquest being delayed for almost five years after a review of the case was ordered.

Mr Philips said: "It's not part of my remit to investigate the investigation."

But he said it was "unfortunate certain statements were not taken sooner" as it might have been possible to have had "a clearer understanding" of certain facts in the case.

The coroner also criticised the ease in which drugs can be bought in the centre of Swansea.

Mr Rogers said of some Swansea nightclubs: "Unfortunately it seems that drugs are easily and commonly available in such places."