Former England rugby player, Tom Voyce, was found to have nearly three times the legal alcohol limit in his blood when his vehicle was swept away in a ford during Storm Darragh, as revealed in an inquest today.
Pathologist Dr. Clive Bloxham conducted a post mortem examination on the 43-year-old former international, who went missing on December 8 last year, in Morpeth, Northumberland.
Following a day of shooting with his brother-in-law Hugh Wood, Voyce visited the Queen’s Head in Glanton, Northumberland, after which he left the pub around 11.45pm. His wife, Anna, reported him missing the next day.
Dr. Bloxham’s pathology report indicated that Voyce had a blood alcohol level of 215 mgs per 100ml, well above the legal limit of 80 mgs per 100ml. The toxicology report showed no drugs in his system, only a significantly high alcohol level.
Although alcohol consumption did not directly cause his death, Dr. Bloxham noted that it could have impaired Voyce’s coordination and judgment prior to the incident.
The cause of death was determined to be immersion in water, with additional injuries to his hands and feet consistent with drowning after being in the water for several days. Voyce’s body was recovered by a Northumbria Police diving team 700 meters from where his Toyota Hilux was found submerged in the River Aln.
Voyce’s brother-in-law mentioned that heavy rainfall had delayed their shooting party, and he last saw Voyce leaving the Queen’s Head that night. The roads were waterlogged due to the rain, and Voyce likely had an eight-mile journey home.
In a statement after his death, Voyce’s widow expressed profound devastation and focus on their son, Oscar.
Voyce had a successful rugby career, playing for Bath, Wasps, and Gloucester, earning nine caps for England and making 220 Premiership appearances before retiring in 2013. The inquest is ongoing and is expected to conclude soon.