Coroner Rules Unclear Intent in Ricky Hatton Death Inquest

A Manchester coroner has delivered a narrative verdict in the death of former boxing world champion Ricky Hatton, stating she cannot be satisfied that the 46-year-old intended to take his own life when he died in September.

Senior coroner Alison Mutch concluded the inquest at Stockport coroner court after hearing evidence that painted a complex picture of Hatton final days. While the official cause of death was determined to be hanging, the circumstances surrounding his intentions remained unclear.

Hatton was discovered unresponsive at his Hyde home in Greater Manchester on September 14, after his manager Paul Speak went to escort him to Manchester airport for a planned exhibition boxing match in Dubai. When Hatton failed to respond at his door, Speak entered the property and found him before calling emergency services.

The discovery came as a shock to family members, who had seen Hatton just two days earlier during what appeared to be a normal family gathering. On September 12, he had taken his daughters and granddaughter to a local pub for a meal, where he appeared in good spirits and mentioned seeing them again after his Dubai trip.

Family testimony revealed that Hatton had been the best he had been in years leading up to his death. His son Campbell told the court that his father lived life at 110 percent both in and out of the ring, maintaining his characteristic enthusiasm even while battling personal demons.

The family believe he was the best he had been in years and made massive plans for the future which leads us to believe this was not premeditated, Campbell stated in his testimony. However, he acknowledged concerning changes in recent years, noting a significant decline in his father short-term memory.

He repeated himself constantly, had to write things down and had to be reminded about things he had to do day to day, Campbell explained, highlighting symptoms that may have been related to his boxing career.

Postmortem examinations revealed Hatton was well over the legal drink-drive limit at the time of his death. Tests also showed traces of previous cocaine and cannabis use, substances the former champion had openly discussed struggling with throughout his post-retirement years.

Significantly, medical evidence showed brain damage consistent with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, commonly known as CTE, a condition associated with repeated head trauma in contact sports like boxing.

Throughout his career and retirement, Hatton had been candid about his battles with clinical depression and substance abuse. He previously described himself as being like a runaway train and admitted to coming off the rails with his drink and drug use following his retirement from professional boxing.

Jennifer Dooley, Hatton former partner and mother to his daughters Millie and Fearne, painted a picture of a devoted father who remained heavily involved in his children lives even after their 2016 separation. He often said that the time he spent with his daughters was when he was happiest, she testified.

Coroner Mutch emphasized that police investigations found no evidence suggesting Hatton was planning to harm himself. When I add everything together, I cannot be satisfied he intended to take his own life, she stated. Therefore, it is not possible in law for me to conclude suicide.

The narrative verdict acknowledges the complex circumstances surrounding Hatton death while avoiding a definitive ruling on his intentions. His intention remains unclear as he was under the influence of alcohol and the neuropathological postmortem found evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Mutch concluded.

The Manchester native enjoyed a decorated professional career, capturing world titles and becoming one of Britain most beloved boxing figures before retiring following high-profile defeats to Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.