BDSM Partner Who Unwittingly Left Woman To Die With Socks In Mouth Gets Jail

A 52-year-old man has been jailed after his partner died in a drug-fuelled bondage game that went wrong at a luxury resort.

Warren Martin Coulton, 52, tied up Claire Wright during a "sex game" but fell asleep, forgetting to remove the sock from her mouth. Wright was restrained and suffocated to death, reported Wales Online.

The incident happened on July 16, 2018. A seven-day trial at a UK Court that concluded Wednesday saw him being convicted of manslaughter. Coulton was sentenced to six years in prison.

Prosecutor Caroline Rees told a jury at Mold Crown Court that the couple brought "toys" that included ties, red tape, white tape and gloves with them for their bondage sessions at the resort. Coulton, who was 12 years older than Wright, was the “dominant” partner.

However, Coulton fell asleep after the drug and drink-fuelled session. He found her dead when he woke up but fled the scene immediately. Her body was found by staff at the Herons Lake Retreat resort, the court heard.

The prosecution said Coulton committed a breach of his duty of care towards his partner, which was so "exceptionally bad" that it deserved a "criminal sanction."

Meanwhile, Coulton's lawyer Adam Kane argued that the partners were engaged in a consensual activity when the death happened. "There's no doubt these tragic circumstances were not desired and the outcome not sought by this defendant," he said.

However, sentencing him, judge Simon Picken said while there was a sock inside the victim's mouth during the incident, there was doubt over whether her mouth had been taped up.

"Either way, you were negligent and grossly so. It was your choice to drink to excess and take drugs. You did not have to do these things (but they have had) disastrous consequences," the judge said.

The judge added that Coulton was aware that there was a risk of him falling asleep after drinking while the victim was tied up (during the bondage session), but he took that risk anyway.

Relatives of the victim present at the public gallery expressed happiness after the jury foreman delivered the decision. The jury took less than two hours to reach their verdict.