Hunt apprentice Jack Burgess commited suicide, says coroner

Grafton hunt apprentice Jack Burgess, 16, commited suicide at the kennels in Northamptonshire, a coroner has recorded.

An inquest, at Northampton General Hospital on 29 April, heard how the NVQ student shot himself on 27 October 2008, after learning he could not go hunting that day (news, 6 November 2008).

Huntsman Mick Wills had told the boy he must stay behind for failing to clean his horse properly the previous weekend.

The pistol used was one kept by the hunt to dispatch animals.

Mr Wills told the inquest Jack had shown great promise as a huntsman.

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (7 May, ’09)

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