Was Kyle spiked with drugs?

TRAGIC teen Kyle Winterbottom

THE grieving family of a 16-year-old boy who died in a 40ft fall during a party is still in the dark over events leading to his death.

Kyle Winterbottom, from Hollins, died in the early hours of August 4, 2012. At the start of his inquest in June 2013 it was revealed the teenager had ingested a cocktail of drugs including cannabis, ketamine and ecstasy.

The inquest was adjourned until yesterday after Kyle’s family raised questions about how he came to have the drugs in his system. There were rumours his drinks might have been spiked.

The adjournment gave police time to collect evidence and talk to witnesses - one of whom was Sean Dockerty (20), who hosted the party at his flat at Heywood House, Eldon Street.

Mr Dockerty failed to turn up at yesterday’s inquest and a warrant is to be issued for his arrest. The inquest was again adjourned, until July 29, for his evidence to be heard.

Kyle’s mum, Joanne Kelly, said: “He is supposed to be his friend so we thought he would be here today. He just needs to tell us what he saw. It is just devastating, it has ripped the family apart.”

A witness told yesterday’s inquest Kyle had asked him for the illegal drug MDMA when he met him at another party in Oldham earlier that night, but was refused.

He later saw Kyle - a stranger before that night - at a table with a group that had been taking drugs all night, and said it was clear Kyle had done so too.

The witness said he has since received death threats from people accusing him of “spiking” Kyle’s drinks.

Kyle fell 40ft from the third-floor balcony at 3am and hit a fence. He died at the Royal Oldham Hospital later that evening.

Det Sgt Daniel Inglis, who was the senior investigator in Oldham at the time, said the police have no reason to believe Kyle was spiked or that he was pushed or forced from the balcony.