Overview
- A recording of Coates’s 4.01am 999 call was played in court, in which he said he was “only just” breathing and provided the key code for access.
- Expert witness Dr Simon Quantrill said Coates’s lung function was at the edge of survivability and that the loss of oxygen was decisive, calling any ambulance delays “immaterial.”
- Operational problems cited included electric gates at a nearby ambulance station failing during the outage, a second crew stopping to refuel, and difficulties locating the key safe.
- Coverage reports conflicting timings, with one account saying crews got inside 34 minutes after the first dispatch and another stating entry at 4.48am, 47 minutes after the call.
- Paramedics found Coates attached to a portable oxygen cylinder but unresponsive, and the inquest at Teesside Coroners’ Court is continuing this week.