“He was a thoroughly decent man lost too early”

Wednesday 28 November 2018

An islander who unexpectedly passed away earlier this year has been remembered as a "decent" and "loving" man, as an inquest heard yesterday that his death was the likely result of an "unfortunate complication" with prescription medication.

Ryan Edward Munro (35) was found dead at his home around 10:00 on 24 April 2018.

When the exact cause of his death could not be determined, an inquest was opened. Yesterday, six months later, it concluded at Morier House.

Relief Coroner Advocate Cyril Whelan, presiding, was told that Ryan had last been seen alive around 03:00, having visited A&E the previous evening with a broken toe for which he was prescribed painkillers.

Home Office forensic pathologist Dr Russell Delaney said that there was no sign of injury or natural disease that could have caused Ryan's sudden death, and that any potential unnatural causes were not clear either. 

Pictured: The Inquest into Ryan's death was heard at Morier House.

According to the pathologist, there was no alcohol in Ryan's system, but he had found evidence of taking prescription drugs, including anti-depressants and pain killers. Some of them -  pregabalin and oxycodone - were obtained illicitly, the inquest was told, but Dr Delaney explained that Ryan might have taken them to ease the pain of his broken toe.

Despite this finding, Dr Delaney said that none of the substances were at a level that could have caused Ryan's death. Instead, he said that Ryan had either died due to an “unfortunate complication of the use of multiple drugs at low levels or a very rare adverse reaction not related to the amount taken.” He also mentioned the possibility of acute alcohol withdrawal, but added that it was impossible to ascertain the exact cause of death.

Police Coroner’s Officer Tony Forder described Ryan as fitness-oriented and a regular gym user, while adding that he had previously had problems with drinking and prescription medication. “It is a great tragedy that a man so young lost his life in those circumstances," he said.

Pictured: Ryan spent a lot of time in the gym and was very fitness-orientated.

Ryan’s girlfriend of over three years said that he had drunk a lot a few days before his death after months without consuming alcohol, but added that "he was not an alcoholic" and would often regret drinking afterwards.

“He made me laugh a lot, he was very loving,” she told Advocate Cyril Whelan, the Relief Coroner. “He had bought me a dog in October as a surprise.”

Having heard all the evidence, Advocate Whelan said: “Like the rest of the world, Ryan enjoyed a drink. He would go through long periods without having a drink... That’s hardly news. The world is full of people who like a drink. Equally, I don’t find that he was a 'druggie' or a 'junkie' of any sort. He would sometimes, wisely or not, take prescription drugs. Maybe on this occasion a combination of prescription drugs caused a fatality.”

He concluded that the cause of Ryan’s death could not be identified, before adding: “He was a thoroughly decent man lost too early.”