RTÉ producer died from fall after night out, inquest hears

A 27-year-old man sustained fatal head injuries in a fall down stairs after a night out with friends, an inquest heard.

Edward Prendergast, from Selskar Road in Skerries, Dublin but living at Blackhall Green, Arbour Hill, Dublin 7 fell down 12 steps at his home at about 4.10am on October 19th, 2014. He was taken to the Mater Hospital but died the following day, Dublin Coroner's Court heard.

Described as a 'beautiful young man, highly educated and a fantastic worker' Mr Prendergast worked as a producer on RTÉ Radio 1's The Business Show.

The young man's father, William Prendergast said he had many talents and had worked hard following his education at Dublin City University and NUI Maynooth.

“He did drink too much on the night,” Mr Prendergast said, adding that he hoped his son’s death might help prevent a similar tragedy. The family donated their son’s organs in the wake of his death.

Friend of the deceased Carl Reynolds said he called to Mr Prendergast’s home at Arbour Hill on October 19th 2014 and the pair began drinking between 8pm and 9pm. They took a taxi to the Globe bar on George’s Street around midnight. They met other friends and Mr Reynolds left at about 2am.

“He was in good humour when I left, he was drunk but coherent,” Mr Reynolds said.

Suzanne Brennan was a flatmate of Mr Prendergast. She and her boyfriend arrived home around 3.30am and Mr Prendergast followed shortly after, she told the court.

“His speech was quite slurred but he was chatting away. He was quite drunk,” she said.

The pair went out the front door to smoke a cigarette and Ms Brennan followed her flatmate back into the house. He fell as he walked down a two-part carpeted stairwell with two steps down followed by a turn and a further 12 steps.

“I heard a series of bangs and saw Ed lying at the bottom of the stairs,” she said. “When I called his name there was no answer.”

The cause of death was traumatic injury to the brain, due to a fall down stairs, due to the toxic effects of alcohol, according to pathologist Dr Megan Finan. A toxicology screening revealed a blood alcohol level of 285 mg per cent.

"It is a high level of alcohol, if one isn't used to drinking, anything over 300 mg per cent can be fatal. Certainly it is sufficiently high to affect co-ordination and balance," Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane said, returning a verdict of death by misadventure.