THE family of a "loveable joker" who fell 13 feet from a hotel window before dying from hyperthermia say they still have questions unanswered following his inquest.
Rob Williams, of Pigstye Green Lane, Willingale, was found on a lower level hotel roof in December a day after he was last seen at a Christmas party.
He was rushed to Basildon Hospital suffering a body temperature of 21C but died five days later on Christmas Day.
At his inquest yesterday (July 16) coroner Edward Thomas ruled that he died as a result of a "misadventure".
His family initially suspected he sleepwalked out of the hotel window but Mr Thomas said there was "no evidence" to support this.
Mr Thomas said: "Mr Carey the pathologist tells me that the cause of death – which I accept – is complications arising from severe hypothermia.
"What caused that? Being outside, not fully clothed, being damp, being seriously intoxicated – because that by itself can be severe – and also impact injuries consistent with falls.
"I can't begin to imagine how awful this has been for your family. It will always be with you and I just feel so sad for you."
Rob, an ex-Hylands School pupil and building estimator, was with work friends at the Parsons Restaurant on Thursday, December 19, where colleague Dave Mellis said they drank "five to six" pints.
The inquest heard the group continued to the Green Dragon pub in Market Square where Rob was punched in the face after going behind the bar.
The group later went to the De Vere hotel in Waltham Cross to sleep, but when co-workers Mr Mellis and Bill Andrews awoke, Rob had disappeared.
Nonetheless the pair continued to work and it was not until 1.30pm that girlfriend Carla Hilton reported him missing to Essex Police when Rob's colleagues contacted her.
He was found by a hotel maintenance worker at about 2.30pm on the lower level roof.
At the inquest Miss Hilton raised a number of questions, claiming she was bizarrely told Rob was in a meeting when she rang his office at 10am on the Friday, and that Essex Police told her he was "okay".
Miss Hilton said: "When I called the police at 1.30pm to report it I spoke to two different areas, Herts and Essex, and was told to head back home and they would find him.
"The police said he was okay. Conscious, but a bit cold and might need to go to hospital.
"It was only about 45 minutes later when I came up to the room where he had that machine on."
PC Daniel Bardwell of Herts Police however replied: "As far as I know, no police officer from Hertfordshire told you that.
"I don't know who told you that. If I had spoken to you on the phone I wouldn't have told you that he was OK.
"I don't believe any Herts police officer spoke to you saying he is alright but a bit cold."
Rob's dad Jestyn Williams added: "It still doesn't put us at ease because we still don't know.
"I'd say it's difficult to get out of that window when drunk. Very difficult to get out that window."
Carla added: "We still have a lot of questions."
In the week following Rob's death his sister Kirsty Ashby paid tribute to a "loveable joker" and keen sportsman.
