Hotel death: Turkey 'won't engage' with UK coroner

A coroner has said she is "in the hands of the Turkish authorities" over the death of a British holidaymaker found in a hotel lift shaft.

Last month, 20-year-old Tyler Kerry, from Basildon in Essex, was discovered fatally injured at the hotel he was staying at near Lara Beach in Antalya. His family claim he was murdered.

At the opening of an inquest into his death, the area coroner for Essex, Michelle Brown, said she was "wholly dependent" on evidence obtained by Mr Kerry's family's lawyers.

"The law in Turkey does not recognise the coroner's court in the United Kingdom," Ms Brown said.

Ms Brown said that Mr Kerry's body had been taken to the East London coroner's service when it was repatriated.

A post-mortem examination gave a provisional cause of death as multiple injuries and blunt force trauma.

"We are liaising closely with lawyers that are instructed by the family for them to do reciprocal contacts over in Turkey, because the law in Turkey does not recognise the coroner's court in the United Kingdom," Ms Brown said.

"We are wholly dependent on any evidence that can be obtained via that route from the family through their solicitors to any solicitors that are appointed over in Turkey."

Ms Brown added that she was now waiting for the post-mortem examination report and any toxicology report from the East London coroner's service.

"It's quite complicated, but we are simply in the hands of the Turkish authorities, who will not engage with the coroners' service at all," Ms Brown added.

Mr Kerry had been visiting Turkey with his girlfriend Molly, his grandparents and other relatives.

It was Mr Kerry's first family holiday abroad, but he died within 36 hours of arriving.

They had been having a drink at the bar in a hotel called the Trendy Lara in the early hours of 29 November when Mr Kerry, who had fallen asleep on a sofa, vanished.

Mr Kerry, an office fitter, was found at the bottom of the lift shaft in the hotel basement.

Paramedics were called but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Turkish police said Mr Kerry had been under the influence of alcohol and fell from the first floor, but Mr Kerry's brother has claimed he was murdered.

The lift had been out of use, according to police, and there was "no proof of firearm or sharp object injuries".

Mr Kerry's grandmother, Collette Kerry, said she was "absolutely disgusted" by the police's response and the handling of the investigation.

A final autopsy result from the Turkish authorities is expected in a few weeks' time.

A spokesperson for the hotel said staff had been supporting the family. However, Mr Kerry's family denied any support had been offered.

The BBC has approached the Turkish police for further comment.

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