Inquest opened into death of cricketer Peter Roebuck

Jan 25 2012 Birkenhead News

THE inquest into the death of cricket writer and former Somerset captain Peter Roebuck was opened and adjourned.

Mr Roebuck, 55, of Neston, had been covering the Test series between the Proteas and Australia in Cape Town, South Africa, in November last year, when it is understood he fell from his hotel room window.

Roebuck was reportedly questioned by police about an allegation of sexual assault prior to his death.

The coroner for Cheshire, Nicholas Rheinberg, formally opened the inquest at Warrington Coroner’s Court, and then adjourned the case for a date yet to be fixed.

The inquest heard that Roebuck’s family ordered a second post mortem to take place in South Africa, and that Mr Rheinberg then ordered a third post mortem which took place last Monday at Liverpool Royal Hospital.

Detective Inspector Dougie Shaw said the initial findings of the UK post mortem found injuries of “severe blunt force trauma consistent with a fall from height”.

DI Shaw said the circumstances surrounding the death were still “unclear”, and that police were still trying to gather information from the South African authorities.

A spokesman for Cheshire Police said: “The South African authorities have reported that Mr Peter Michael Roebuck, of Neston, died after falling from a building in Cape Town, South Africa, in November, 2011.

“Whilst the full findings of the post mortem are still to be established at this stage, the indication is that Mr Roebuck did have injuries consistent with a fall.

“Cheshire Police are now conducting inquiries on behalf of HM Coroner.”