Foreign substance found in coach

Tuesday 17th April, 2007 Posted: 16:24 CIT (21:24 GMT)


KINGSTON, Jamaica –
A foreign chemical substance has been discovered in Bob Woolmer’s blood
and tissue samples, the toxicology results have reportedly stated.
According to a well–placed government official, the substance, believed
to be poison, was found in samples taken from the coach’s stomach, urine
and blood. The Gleaner has also been reliably informed that help has been
sought from Scotland Yard in the analysis of the results.
On Saturday, Deputy Commissioner of Police Mark Shields confirmed the
receipt of the toxicology report, but refused to comment on the contents.
"We have some results from toxicology now, but they will require further
investigation and analysis, and therefore it would be totally inappropriate
for me to elaborate any further on that," Shields said.
Woolmer, 58, the Pakistan cricket team coach was found unconscious in
his Jamaica Pegasus hotel room four weeks ago by a chambermaid.
He was pronounced dead at hospital and a subsequent post–mortem
conducted by government pathologist, Ere Sheshiah, found that death
resulted from asphyxia due to manual strangulation. Prior to that
announcement, the police said that they would be relying on histology
and toxicology analysis of Mr. Woolmer’s tissue sample to give them an
idea of the events leading to the coach’s death.
"The histology is back. I have not seen it, but it is the toxicology that
we are still working on ... the toxicology is much more important,"
Assistant Commissioner of Police Les Green said, yesterday.
Histology results will help the pathologist to arrive at a time of death,
which has not yet been established, while the toxicology should
justify or rebut speculations that the 6ft 1in–, 250–pound Woolmer
was poisoned before being strangled by his unknown attacker or
attackers.
Owing to Woolmer’s size, many had suggested that he may have
been weakened before being strangled and the toxicology report
may have confirmed this theory.
News had surfaced that Woolmer may have ingested a dose of aconite,
a poison which causes the body’s organs to shut down and causes
death through asphyxiation within 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, some members of the Pakistan team may be asked to
make their way back to Jamaica for the coroner’s inquest which
begins next Monday. ACP Green said Coroner Patrick Murphy had
made it clear that he wanted members of that delegation back for
the inquest.
Kent Pantry, the Director of Public Prosecutions, who will be
marshalling evidence on behalf of the Crown, and Murphy are to
meet later this week to decide the list of witnesses for the inquest.