Hugh Mulryan, 25, was discovered deceased in his burned-out Volkswagen Passat near Malton, North Yorkshire, on June 16 last year. The fire, which investigators believe was accidentally started by a cigarette igniting flammable material in the car's footwell, occurred several hours after Mr. Mulryan was involved in a minor collision.
An inquest at Northallerton Coroner's Court heard that Mr. Mulryan had consumed four or five pints of Guinness on the evening of June 15. He left a pub around 10 p.m. and, approximately one hour later, was involved in a crash with another vehicle on a roundabout. The passenger in the other car reported that Mr. Mulryan had driven the wrong way around the roundabout. No one was injured in the collision, and Mr. Mulryan drove away from the scene. The passenger noted that Mr. Mulryan appeared "remarkably calm" following the incident, suggesting to him that the driver might have been drinking.
Coroner Jonathan Leach stated that alcohol found in Mr. Mulryan's system was slightly over the legal drink-drive limit.
Police found Mr. Mulryan's car engulfed in flames in a lay-by around 4 a.m. on June 16. Firefighters extinguished the blaze, and Mr. Mulryan's body was subsequently discovered. The North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service investigation concluded the fire started accidentally in the front footwell, likely due to a cigarette. It could not be determined if Mr. Mulryan was asleep when the fire began. The car was located in a rural area, meaning the fire was unlikely to have been seen from the main road.
Coroner Leach ruled Mr. Mulryan's death as an accident, with smoke inhalation as the cause of death.
Mr. Mulryan, son of horse owner and breeder Liam Mulryan, had recently moved to Ryedale from County Galway, Ireland, just two days before his death to begin a new role with racehorse trainer Adrian Keatley. He had previously worked in the racing industry in Ireland and France, as well as studying law. Colleagues described him as a "great chap" and "very smart," with some predicting a "bright future" for him in racing due to his keen interest in horses.