Hunter found dead with head stuck down rabbit hole: Victim got trapped and suffocated
AN unemployed father was suffocated to death after getting his head stuck in a rabbit hole while out hunting for his dinner.
Stephen Whinfrey, 50, was discovered by a stunned walker with just his legs and torso sticking out of the ground. One hand was also visible, wedged firmly between his thighs.
It is thought he may have spent 24 hours trapped in the deep hole at Squirrel Wood Scout Camp, near Burghwalis, Doncaster, on New Year's Day.
An inquest heard the unmarried father-of-two had been involved in 'rabbiting' most of his life and used ferrets and dogs to help his hunt.
His body was found on January 2 shortly before 4pm by a member of the public walking through the beauty spot.
Mr Whinfrey had taken off his wellington boots and jacket which were found next to the hole along with two bags, one which contained ferrets, a spade, knives and a net.
A dead rabbit and a fresh mound of soil was next to the hole while his dog was tied to a nearby tree.
PC Richard Hall told Doncaster Coroner's Court: "We found a male's head first in a hole with only his legs and torso visible. He was at a 45 degree angle, curved around the hole.
"There was a hand coming out of the hole in between the male's legs. I couldn't see the other hand and there were scratch marks on the ground.
"It became obvious that the man was deceased. He was wedged in the hole with hardly any room at all."
Mr Whinfrey, a former miner from Skellow, Doncaster, had told his family he would see them for lunch at around 1pm on New Year's Day. But when he failed to return they became concerned and when there was still no sign the following day they contacted the police.
We found a male's head first in a hole with only his legs and torso visible. He was at a 45 degree angle, curved around the hole.
Dr Susan Rodgers, who carried out the postmortem, said Mr Whinfrey had died from asphyxia due to a lack of oxygen.
She added: "It is difficult to say exactly when Mr Whinfrey died. He had probably been dead for some hours by the time he was found"
The hearing was told Mr Whinfrey had previously suffered from depression, for which he was taking regular medication.
His sister, Nadine Whinfrey-Gibson, said: "We last saw him on New Year's Eve. He said he was going to go rabbiting the next day and I suggested he should take cousins and an uncle as the weather had been bad and when they'd been out the previous week I knew they'd struggled to carry everything.
"He was a very giving man - he was always seeing what he could do for other people.
"We'd always have a laugh with him. He was very content with his life. He never expected much in terms of material goods.
"As long as he had his dog, his ferrets and his garden, he was happy."
Assistant coroner Mark Beresford said: "Misadventure occurs when a person undertakes a task that goes unexpectedly wrong.
"This is what has happened in this case."
Verdict: Misadventure.