Coroner Rules Amsterdam Student’s Death Unlawful

An inquest has determined that the death of a student, who was fatally stabbed during a visit to Amsterdam, was unlawful. Danny Castledine, a 22-year-old from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, suffered 44 injuries close to the Singel canal in the early morning of June 1, 2022. He had made a stop in the city with a companion while traveling to a music festival in Belgium. Nongo B, a Belgian national, received a 14-year prison sentence following his conviction for manslaughter after a trial held in a Dutch court in January. On Tuesday, Assistant Coroner Nathanael Hartley informed Nottingham Coroner’s Court, stating: “I find the medical cause of death to be multiple stab wounds.” Detective Constable Gina Farrell, from Nottinghamshire Police, testified at the hearing that Mr. Castledine and his friend parted ways after 1:00 AM. She stated: “Danny walked around the city centre thereafter, and he appeared to have met the person we call the defendant between 1:40am and 2:12am.” “Danny walked with the defendant into where there appears to be a clash between Danny and the defendant.” “It is believed this is where he carried out the attack before he dragged him down the stairs to the basement flat.” “One of the hypotheses that came up is that the defendant attempted to rob Danny, but there was no evidence to substantiate that.” The court heard that Mr. Castledine’s remains were found by a passerby at the base of the steps around 3:30 AM. Mr. Hartley reported that Mr. Castledine was declared deceased at the location, having sustained “defensive injuries” and “severe blood loss,” including a stab wound to his neck. The coroner informed the court that the post-mortem examination further indicated that the additional stab wounds “may have contributed to death through blood loss.” Detective Constable Farrell recounted at the hearing that a man was located in the southern part of Amsterdam, appearing “disorientated” and “covered in blood,” leading to his arrest and transfer to a police station. She mentioned that police conducted tests on the blood found on the man’s attire, which corresponded to Mr. Castledine’s blood. She further stated that an appeal has been filed, potentially resulting in a subsequent retrial. Chloe, Mr. Castledine’s sister, testified at the inquest that her brother was simply “happy-go-lucky, wanting to enjoy his life.” She expressed: “It’s a shame his life ended in the way it did in a foreign country because he loved to travel.” “Everyone loved him, no-one had a bad word to say about him. He trusted everyone and assumed everyone was out for a good time like he was.” Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.