Chef covered in clingfilm ‘died in sex game’

A HEAD chef for P&O Ferries died during a kinky sex game after being wrapped in black plastic sheeting and clingfilm, a jury at Canterbury Crown Court has been told.

Richard Bowler arrives at Canterbury Crown Court in Kent where he stands accused along with David Connor. Picture: PA

Alun Williams, 47, was unable to regulate his body temperature after being mummified and suffered dehydration which eventually led to a heart attack, the court heard.

The chef, who lived with his girlfriend, had an interest in bondage and mummification and would meet men online for sex, the trial heard.

Richard Bowler, 35, and David Connor, 23, from Canterbury, are charged with Mr Williams’ manslaughter.

David Connor arrives at Canterbury Crown Court in Kent. Picture: PA

They also face an alternative charge of manslaughter by gross negligence which they both deny.

Bowler, who has cerebral palsy which affects his co-ordination and movement, wept loudly as prosecutor Ian Hope opened the case and had to be asked by Judge Adele Williams to keep the noise down.

He said Bowler and Connor lived together in a flat in Dover, Kent, with Connor acting as Bowler’s “informal carer”.

Shortly after 6am on August 20 last year, Connor walked into the taxi rank where his mother worked and said “Mum, Richard’s killed someone”, the court was told.

He mentioned bondage and a chemical which relaxes muscles in the bottom and told his mother the man was dead.

Bowler, after making a phone call to his brother and texting his sister-in-law for help, phoned the police at 5.53am and told them he had been involved in a “kinky sex session” with a friend who was wrapped up and had stopped breathing, the court heard.

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He was put through to the ambulance service and told them Mr Williams had taken the drug ketamine.

Mr Hope said Bowler cut open the cling film and plastic sheeting to perform CPR and told the emergency services: “I thought he was just sleeping.

“I am sorry, I should have called before.

“He takes ketamine and that mongs him out.”

The court heard that Mr Williams was found wrapped tightly from head to toe in the plastic sheeting and clingfilm, with a space left around his nose and mouth so he could breathe.

A hood had been placed over his head, allegedly at Mr Williams’ request, and sexual acts involving the three men took place, the court was told.

Connor told the police that he had left the flat at midnight after Bowler told him he had a man coming round for a kinky sex session, the jury heard.

He said he returned at 1am and that Bowler told him that Mr Williams had wanted to be wrapped in clingfilm, the court was told.

Mr Hope said police found drugs including ketamine, cocaine, methamphetamine and amyl nitrate, otherwise known as poppers, in Mr Williams’ rucksack.

They also found a gas mask and ties in his bag, the court heard.

Sex toys, masking tape, duct tape, black plastic sheeting and cling film were also found in the flat, the jury heard.

A laptop found in Mr Williams’ car showed he had an interest in bondage and mummification, the court heard.

A post-mortem examination on Mr Williams’ body confirmed that he had died suddenly following body wrapping while under the influence of ketamine and methamphetamine.

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