A devastating turn of events at a festive work gathering led to the tragic death of Conner Groom, a 22-year-old from Clacton-on-Sea, after a prank by his best friend went terribly wrong.
Groom succumbed to a severe spinal injury five weeks after the incident, sparking an outpouring of grief on social media.
One Facebook user expressed, “So sad. Thoughts go out to his friends and family.”
Another shared, “Bless him, lovely lad gone. So tragic.”
And yet another posted, “RIP, what a terrible, terrible tragedy.”
An inquest revealed the heartbreaking details of that December evening in 2021 at the Topgolf in Chigwell, Essex, reported by the BBC. Groom was with colleagues from a bricklaying company at their Christmas party, where heavy drinking preceded the accident.
They arrived at 7pm, and after some time at the bar, moved to the golfing area. Here, playful shoves into the safety netting at the edge of the bay escalated, despite multiple warnings from the staff to cease the horseplay.
Detective Inspector Lydia George detailed to the inquest how the tragic fall occurred. After pushing a friend, Groom lined up for a shot when another friend, running up from behind, pushed him as he swung. Groom fell over the net, dropping roughly 12 feet and landing face-first, unable to control his fall due to his foot catching in the netting.
In a harrowing scene described by security guard Dion McKenzie, the friend who pushed Groom descended the stairs, apologizing repeatedly as Groom lay injured.
Rushed to the Royal London Hospital, Groom would tragically pass away on January 25, 2022. His death was attributed to a hypoxic brain injury caused by the traumatic spinal cord injury.
Although initially arrested on charges of causing grievous bodily harm without intent, the charges against Groom’s friend were later dropped. Essex senior coroner Lincoln Brookes ruled the death as a result of misadventure, influenced by “inebriated but not malicious horseplay.”
Brookes noted, “I entirely accept this was due to good spirits and there was nothing malicious.” He also mentioned that alcohol played a significant role in impairing judgment and that the victim’s parents did not support prosecuting their son’s friend, believing it was not what Conner would have wanted.
Graham Jarvisat, a health and safety officer from Epping Forest District Council, informed the inquest that Topgolf has since updated its safety protocols and staff training to prevent similar tragedies, including stricter enforcement against dangerous behavior.