Home   Ashford   News   Article

Ashford man growing weed in Spanish villa was poisoned by generator an inquest finds

A Kent man growing weed at his Spanish villa was poisoned by fumes from a generator, an inquest heard.

Daniel Fullagar, 34, from Ashford, was discovered at his villa in Xàtiva, Valencia, on November 28, 2019.

Daniel Fullager died from carbon monoxide poisoning
Daniel Fullager died from carbon monoxide poisoning

His family had grown concerned for him after he had stopped returning their calls and messages.

After a week of no contact, and following communications with the British Embassy in Spain, his father Nick Fullagar and girlfriend Bethany Hicks flew out to try and locate him.

They accompanied Spanish police as they forced entry to his "remote" apartment, discovering him lifeless on the floor of his bedroom.

Officers also discovered more than 80 cannabis plants at the property - which were seized - and an electric generator situated in a hallway.

Assistant coroner for central and south east Kent, Scott Matthewson, who conducted the inquest at Archbishop's Palace in Maidstone, yesterday, told the hearing that Mr Fullagar had suffered a cardiac arrest as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning from the generator.

Daniel Fullager's death was an accident, a coroner has concluded
Daniel Fullager's death was an accident, a coroner has concluded

He concluded that his death was an accident.

He said: "Daniel was looking forward to coming back to Britain. He had everything to live for and life was going pretty well. The obvious conclusion is this was a dreadful accident."

Mr Fullagar, who grew up in Brattle, Woodchurch and went to Homewood School in Tenterden had been living in Spain for five months but was expecting to return to Kent by Christmas.

He was a construction worker by trade but was not working at the time of his death.

He was described by his landlord Melanie Lancaster as a "sociable and bubbly young man" who was "buzzing" after recently receiving a tax rebate.

Daniel Fullagar pictured with his dad Nick and sister Kirsty
Daniel Fullagar pictured with his dad Nick and sister Kirsty

Mr Matthewson said: "I find that at that time he was growing a crop in the villa. It seems to me that the generator was something to do with the marijuana crop.

"I find that the generator was producing carbon monoxide.

"The carbon monoxide overcame him and he died as a result of poisoning."

However, his family say the generator was not linked to the growing of the crops.

Instead, it was being used to provide electricity at night.

Daniel Fullagar and his younger sister Kirsty as children
Daniel Fullagar and his younger sister Kirsty as children

Spanish authorities had suggested to Mr Fullager's family that he could have died from an electric shock after a power pack was also found in the property.

However Mr Matthewson said the pathologist's report did not support that.

Questions were raised about Mr Fullager's date of death which the pathologist's report suggested was around November 26 - two days before he was found.

However the coroner disagreed and gave his date of death as November 21 - the day he stopped regular, daily contact with his family.

He said: "It's likely that he was overcome by the fumes on November 21 and it's very unlikely that anyone could have done anything to save him."

A GoFundMe page raised £6,000 to help repatriate Mr Fullagar's body, which was brought back to Heathrow Airport on December 5.

His sister Kirsty Fullagar, 30, who attended the hearing with her father and Ms Hix, previously paid tribute to her older brother.

She said: "He was so energetic and full of life. He would always help anyone - he would be there in a flash.

"I would describe him like Tigger, he was the original nutter."

Speaking after the inquest, Ms Fullagar repeated her tribute.

She said: "There was only one Daniel Fullager. He was my legend. The original nutter."

Read more: All the latest news from Ashford

Read more:All the latest news from Tenterden

Close This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.Learn More