A coroner at the inquest of a teenager who plunged 50ft to his death from a Magaluf apartment complex has slammed a hotel for not fitting a fence at a walkway where another Brits died just a month earlier.
Tom Channon, 18, was killed while on holiday in Spain last summer with friends celebrating the end of his A-levels.
The summer break ended in tragedy when keen football player Tom fell over a knee-high wall at the Eden Roc complex in Majorca.
A coroner today hit out after it was revealed no safety measures were installed at the hotel after fellow tourist Thomas Hughes, 20, died just weeks before.
Tom Channon (left) was killed while on holiday in Spain with friends celebrating the end of his A-levels, a few weeks after Thomas Hughes (right) had died from the same walkway
The inquest heard Tom had been staying at nearby Hotel Florida but wandered into the wrong complex when he was separated from his friends.
His body was found at the apartments on July 12 and a call was made to Spanish authorities at 10.05am.
Tom, of Rhoose in the Vale of Glamorgan, was the second UK holidaymaker to die at the complex in Majorca in the space of just two months in 2018.
But acting senior coroner Graeme Hughes told the inquest a temporary fence had not been erected following the death of Thomas Hughes, 20, from Wrexham in June.
The inquest in Pontypridd, South Wales, heard friend Raied Jones was the last to see Tom alive when he spotted him around 65 feet from their hotel.
Raied had been walking with a girl when he saw Tom on the other side of the road at 4.08am on July 12.
He said: ‘I remember speaking to Tom on my own. I asked if he was OK and I pointed in the direction of our hotel. There was street lighting but it wasn’t the best.
‘I asked him if he was OK and I asked “are you OK to get home” or “do you know the way to get back to the hotel” and he said he was fine.’
A coroner today hit out after it was revealed no safety measures were installed at the hotel after fellow tourist Thomas Hughes, 20, died just weeks before
The inquest heard the friends had watched the England v Croatia football World Cup match in the town before returning to their hotel to enjoy all inclusive drinks.
The group then went to drink at Alex Bar on the strip where Tom was seen dancing until around 3am.
CCTV later captured Tom lying on the floor at 4.05am where he was being fanned by an unknown girl.
He bumped into his friend just minutes later when he said he was ‘fine.’
His parents, business consultant John, 67, and midwife Ceri, 49, flew to Majorca to see for themselves where he died.
At the inquest, his mother Ceri asked Raied if the group had been given any safety information following a death at the hotel a month earlier – but he replied ‘no.’
Pathologist Dr Richard Jones gave a medical cause of death as blunt force injuries to the trunk including the pelvic fracture.
Toxicology reports showed Tom had no drugs in his system and his alcohol levels were below twice the drink drive limit – at 118mg per dl.
Coroner Graeme Hughes said: ‘It is absolutely tragic in my findings that simple steps in erecting the temporary fence were not instigated following Thomas Hughes’ death in 2018.
‘These simple steps would have in all probability have prevent Tom meeting his death on July 12, 2018.’
Coroner Hughes said Tom attempted to return to his hotel alone sometime after 3am.
He said: ‘Due to intoxication and fatigue he is likely to have become disorientated and erroneously entered the car park of a nearby apartment block.
Acting senior coroner Graeme Hughes told the inquest a temporary fence had not been erected following the death of Thomas Hughes, 20, from Wrexham in June
‘For reasons unknown he has travelled beyond the wall, falling some distance to the ground below.’
Coroner Hughes recorded a narrative conclusion.
He said: ‘The deceased died from injuries sustained following a fall from a height.’
Dad John called for urgent safety changes following his son’s tragic death.
Speaking at the time, he said: ‘He was like any other young person of that age, full of life. I think we all know that a lot of young people come to Magaluf.
‘They want to have a good time, they want to enjoy themselves, they want to have a drink, they want to go on the beach, they want to party and it’s quite clearly a major issue in Magaluf.
‘Tom didn’t die in vain and we will push to make sure we have some answers and to make sure something is in place urgently to make sure you’re not put in this position again listening, perhaps, to some other poor grieving parent who is in the same position.’