Man by chance ‘strangled’ himself in bondage cage, inquest hears
- Adam Gillespie, 31, used the BDSM equipment alone while awaiting his boyfriend
- His partner Henri Andrews-Buller found him ‘cold and unresponsive’
A former air traffic controller accidentally ‘strangled’ himself after strapping his arms and legs into a bondage cage, an inquest has heard.
Adam Gillespie, 31, is believed to have also used the BDSM equipment to put a collar around his neck while alone so he could await his partner’s arrival.
Norfolk Coroner’s Court was told how his partner of three years Henri Andrews-Buller found him ‘cold and unresponsive’ in a bedroom when he got back from work at 6.30pm on October 28 last year.
Mr Andrews-Buller, a sales representative, called the emergency services and desperate efforts were made to save the life of Mr Gillespie.
But qualified pilot Mr Gillespie was pronounced dead at the home that the couple shared in Hainford near Norwich.
Adam Gillespie, 31, is believed to have also used the BDSM equipment to put a collar around his neck while alone so he could await his partner’s arrival
The qualified pilot was pronounced dead at the home he shared with his boyfriend in Hainford near Norwich
Mr Andrews-Buller said in his statement that he believed Mr Gillespie had been waiting for him to arrive home, as he had done so previously despite being warned not to use the BDSM equipment unsupervised.
An inquest into this death took place at Norfolk Coroner’s Court, based at County Hall in Norwich, on June 25.
Several members of Mr Gillespie’s family attended the court, and a statement from them was read out paying tribute to him.
It said: ‘Adam was a happy young man who was loved by many. He worked hard and was full of ambition.’
The statement added that he had been ‘excited’ about his recent plans for his future career path.
An inquest into this death took place at Norfolk Coroner’s Court, based at County Hall in Norwich, on June 25
Mr Gillespie, a former pupil at North Walsham High School, left his role as an air traffic controller in 2022 due to mental ill health.
At the time of his death, he worked as a cleaner at Downtide Caravans and Leisure in Alby, near Cromer.
Dr Ray Lonsdale, consultant in histopathology at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, gave his medical cause of death as ‘constriction of neck structures’.
Norfolk Area coroner Yvonne Blake recorded a conclusion of misadventure.
