Cruise ship staff tied up 83-year-grandmother with dementia in £8,500 suite and injected her with sedative as she had panic attack in move that ‘contributed to her death’ weeks later, rules coroner
- Marguerite Hayward was on Regent Seven Seas Cruise with her husband Fred
- In April 2017, Mrs Hayward, from Lavenham, Suffolk, awoke from nightmare
- Seven members of staff sedated her, and pair were ordered off cruise next day
- Coroner ruled ship events ‘had a cumulative and contributing effect on death’
- Cruise company sympathised with family but said coroner made no criticism of its staff
The cruise ship staff who tied up a grandmother with dementia and injected her with a sedative as she had a panic attack ‘contributed to her death’ weeks later, a coroner has ruled.
Marguerite Hayward, 83, was staying in an £8,500 suite on the Regent Seven Seas Cruises Explorer with her husband Fred when she became ill.
In the early hours of April 25, 2017, she awoke from a nightmare and had a panic attack linked to her dementia.
Mr Hayward, a war veteran, called reception for help, and seven members of staff came to the room and bound her feet and hands with bathrobe cords before sedating her, reports the Telegraph.
Marguerite Hayward, 83, was staying in an £8,500 suite on the Regent Seven Seas Cruises Explorer with her husband Fred, pictured together, when she became ill
Staff on the six-star cruise bound her feet and hands and sedated her before forcing the couple, pictured on their wedding day, to leave the boat in Sorrento, Italy, the next day
The next morning, despite the fact that Mrs Hayward was much calmer, the couple were ordered to leave the six-star cruise ship in Sorrento, Italy, where she was taken to hospital.
The couple, who had been married for 64 years and lived in Lavenham, Suffolk, were also given a £1,000 bill for the sedatives.
She stayed there for five days before flying home to the UK, where she was treated at West Suffolk Hospital.
Mrs Hayward died on July 29 after being moved to Glastonbury Court care home.
Coroner Nigel Parsley said at the inquest into her death at Suffolk Coroners’ Court that the ‘sequence of events which started on the ship, and the treatment which she received overseas, had a cumulative and contributing effect on her death’.
Mr Hayward, 89, passed away in February. He previously told the Daily Mail that he feared becoming a casualty himself while waiting at the Italian hospital with his wife.
A spokesperson for Regent Seven Seas Cruises told the Telegraph: ‘We would like to express our deepest sympathies to the Hayward family.
‘We support the coroner’s conclusion that the decision to medically disembark Mrs Hayward to receive further medical attention was correct and that no criticism was made of our staff’s conduct in this very sad and difficult situation.’
Coroner Nigel Parsley said at the inquest into her death at Suffolk Coroners’ Court that the ‘sequence of events which started on the ship, and the treatment which she received overseas, had a cumulative and contributing effect on her death’. Pictured: Mrs Hayward in hospital
Mr Hayward, 89, passed away in February. He previously told the Daily Mail that he feared becoming a casualty himself while waiting at the Italian hospital with his wife
Pictured: the six-star cruise ship Mr and Mrs Hayward were staying on