Rugby player was double drink limit in death crash

Buy photos » 'Exceptional talent’ Mitchell Todd died in a car crash last August. (s)

A PROMISING rugby player was twice the legal drink drive limit and not wearing a seatbelt when he crashed his car and died, an inquest has heard.

Mitchell Todd, of Nod Rise, Mount Nod, crashed his Citreon C3 into a field in south Nottinghamshire last August.

The 21-year-old former Scottish under-20 international had just finished a degree in sports therapy at Coventry University.

An inquest at Nottingham Town Hall heard how Todd had been drinking throughout the day after a training event at Nottingham Rugby Club, where he played his rugby.

Deputy coroner Jane Gillespie was told Todd lost control of his car on a left-hand bend, clipping trees and road signs before crashing through a fence and into a field.

A post-mortem found he died of brain injuries which he could not have survived. He had 172mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood in his system. The legal driving limit is 80mg.

A verdict of accidental death was given.

Nottingham Rugby Club had described the lock as an exceptional talent and a hugely popular member of the squad.

Share This

Regional news »