Man died at adult-themed festival after taking lethal dose of drug
Fifty-three-year-old reveller was found outside his tent with an unconscious woman.
A 53-year-old man died at a woodland sex fetish festival after taking a lethal dose of MDMA, an inquest has heard.
Steven Graves was found lying outside his tent with a woman unconscious on his chest on August 22 at Flamefest in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
He met Sandra Levy at the festival. The pair became intimate and started camping together, the inquest in Maidstone heard on Monday.
They had each taken a pill offered by a stranger who said it was ecstasy shortly before Mr Graves was found dead.
Geoffrey Smith, assistant coroner for north-west Kent, concluded his death was drug-related after he ingested a “lethal dose” of the drug.
Event volunteer Daniel Newcombe saw the pair sleeping outside the tent in the early hours of the morning.
As he pulled a duvet over them to keep them warm he could hear them snoring, Detective Sergeant Jim Farley told the court.
But he later went to check on them again as they had moved into an uncomfortable position and he saw Mr Graves’ lips were blue, the inquest heard.
Police were called to the Powder Mill Lane campsite by paramedics at 6.14am and Mr Graves was pronounced dead.
Officers investigated and found the circumstances were not suspicious.
Det Sgt Farley said examination of the scene showed evidence of “widespread illegal drug use”.
