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Nick Koster made 62 appearances for Bristol between 2013 and 2017
Former Premiership rugby union player Nick Koster took his own life while on leave from a mental health hospital where he had been voluntarily admitted, an inquest has heard.
A hearing in Norwich was told the 34-year-old Bristol and Bath player had left the facility in Attleborough, Norfolk, on 11 July last year having asked to go shopping.
Mental health nurse Charles Mwangi said there was “no indication at all that he was suicidal or that his mental health had deteriorated” and that he had smiled as he left.
The athlete was found dead hours later after he failed to return by an agreed time of 16:30 BST, having left the site at about 14:30.
Mr Mwangi said that changes have been made, and now the names of those who leave the site and the time they are due back are displayed on a board that can be more easily seen.
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Koster had studied at Cambridge University and played for the university in the men’s varsity matches against Oxford University
Samantha Goward, area coroner for Norfolk, explained that Koster was able to leave Priory Hospital Norwich when he wanted to as an “informal patient”, but had an agreed care plan.
The sportsman, who made 62 appearances for Bristol between 2013 and 2017 following a short stint with Bath, had been living in Norwich and began to struggle with his mental health in March 2023.
The coroner said Koster had contacted his GP and was prescribed antidepressants before two voluntary admissions to mental health facilities – the second to Priory Hospital Norwich on 14 June last year.
She said operations director Koster “wanted to get better” and “complied with his treatment”.
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Koster was an “informal patient” at Priory Hospital Norwich
In a statement read to the inquest by the coroner’s officer, mental health nurse Vikramsing Damree said Koster had asked for leave to go to Attleborough town as he had “a few bits and pieces to buy”.
Mr Damree said that Koster “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 Koster.
Mr Damree said that he went on a break at 17:50 and when he returned at 18:30 he was told Koster had not returned from leave.
The inquest heard that Koster’s wife, Jeanie, tracked the location of his phone which indicated it was in countryside between the hospital and Attleborough.
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In his last phone call, which took place at 15:47, he told his father he was on his way to buy snacks.
Ms Goward said it was “not possible to say” whether calling the police earlier would have altered the outcome”, as his actions after that call are not known and he had not been due back until 16:30.
Recording a narrative conclusion, she said Koster “died due to a deliberate act, but his intent was unknown, and his thoughts may have been impaired by his underlying condition”.
The time his death was officially confirmed was 21:11.
The coroner expressed her condolences to family members who attended the hearing.
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