Bristol rugby player Nick Köster smiled as he left Norfolk mental health hospital, inquest told

A former rugby player smiled and told a nurse 'see you in a bit' as he left a mental health hospital just hours before taking his own life, an inquest has heard.

South African Nick Köster, who played for Bristol and Bath, had asked for leave to go shopping on 11 July last year.

Mental health nurse Charles Mwangi told the hearing in Norwich there was “no indication at all that he was suicidal or that his mental health had deteriorated” as he had left the facility in Attleborough, Norfolk, adding that Koster had “said ‘see you in a bit’, smiled and left”.

Köster, 34, was found dead hours later after he failed to return by an agreed time of 4.30pm, having left the site at about 2.30pm.

The athlete, who made 62 appearances for Bristol between 2013 and 2017 after joining them following a short stint with Bath, had been an “informal patient” at Priory Hospital Norwich, having been admitted voluntarily.

Samantha Goward, area coroner for Norfolk, said this meant Köster was able to leave if he wanted to but had an agreed care plan.

Recording a narrative conclusion, she said Köster “died due to a deliberate act but his intent was unknown and his thoughts may have been impaired by his underlying condition”.

He had been living in Norwich and began to struggle with his mental health in March 2023.

The coroner said Köster had contacted his GP and was prescribed antidepressants before two voluntary admissions to mental health facilities – the second to Priory Hospital Norwich from June 14, 2023.

She said operations director Köster “wanted to get better” and “complied with his treatment”.

In a statement read to the inquest by the coroner’s officer, mental health nurse Vikramsing Damree said Köster had asked for leave to go to Attleborough town as he had “a few bits and pieces to buy”.

Mr Damree said that Köster “said he had slept well and was looking forward to his discharge the next day”.

The nurse said that he completed a five-point risk assessment and agreed a return time with Köster.

Mr Damree said that he went on a break at 5.50pm and when he returned at 6.30pm he was told Köster had not returned from leave.

He said a 999 call was made to report him missing but the call-handler referred them instead to 101, with a second 999 call made at 7.49pm when the incident was reported.

Healthcare assistant Robin Wilson said Köster’s wife, Jeannie, was able to track the location of Köster’s phone and it indicated it was in countryside between the hospital and Attleborough town.

The coroner said there was no evidence to confirm what Köster did after his last phone call at 3.47pm to his father.

She said they spoke “about travelling to South Africa – he (Koster’s father) could hear traffic in the background. [Köster] explained he was going to Attleborough to buy snacks”.

Mr Mwangi said that changes had been made since the incident, including that the names of those who left the site and the time they were due back were now displayed on a board so they could be more easily seen.

The coroner said it was “not possible to say, based on the available evidence, whether an earlier call to the police would have altered the outcome”, as Köster’s actions after 3.47pm were not known and he had not been due back until 4.30pm.

Köster’s medical cause of death was recorded as hanging and the time his death was officially confirmed was given as 9.11pm.

Köster captained Cambridge University in the 2018 Varsity Match against Oxford, scoring a try, and played in South Africa for Western Province and the Stormers.

He completed an MBA during his rugby career and a master’s degree at Cambridge University shortly after.

The coroner expressed her condolences to family members who attended the hearing.