Racehorse trainer, 25, died when cigarette sparked fire in his VW Passat after he drank up to five pints of Guinness, inquest hears

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 03:56 EDT, 27 August 2026 | Updated: 04:26 EDT, 27 August 2026 A young racehorse trainer died when a cigarette sparked a fire in his car after he'd been out drinking, an inquest heard.Hugh Mulryan, 25, was found dead in his burnt-out Volkswagen Passat near Malton, in North Yorkshire, at around 4.30am on June 16 last year.Mr Mulryan had moved to Ryedale from County Galway, Ireland, just two days earlier to begin a new job with racehorse trainer Adrian Keatley.But tragedy struck following a night at a pub where he had met Mr Keatley to discuss the role. An inquest at Northallerton Coroner's Court on Tuesday heard Mr Mulryan drank four or five pints of Guinness but did not appear drunk when he left the pub in his car at around 10pm on June 15.Coroner Jonathan Leach said alcohol found in his system was 'just over' the legal drink drive limit.Around an hour after leaving the pub, Mr Mulryan was involved in a collision with a Vauxhall Astra carrying a couple on holiday from Merseyside.Passenger John Kavanagh told the inquest Mr Mulryan had driven the wrong way around a roundabout before colliding with the car, which was being driven by his wife Nora. Hugh Mulryan, 25, was found dead in his burnt-out Volkswagen Passat near Malton, North Yorkshire, at around 4.30am on June 16 last yearNo one was injured and Mr Mulryan drove off afterwards. Mr Kavanagh described him as being 'remarkably calm' after the crash, which made him suspect he had been drinking alcohol, the hearing was told.Several hours later, police discovered Mr Mulryan's VW Passat engulfed by the aftermath of a fire in a lay-by.Officers found the vehicle mostly burnt out, with a small fire still burning, at around 4am.Firefighters extinguished the remaining flames before his body was discovered inside. His death was confirmed by police at 7.30am.An investigation by North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service concluded the blaze had started accidentally in a front footwell.Station manager Anna Atkinson-Spragg told the inquest it was likely that a cigarette had come into contact with something flammable inside the car, such as seat belts or foam inside the seats.It could not be established whether Mr Mulryan had been asleep when the fire began.Ms Atkinson-Spragg said the vehicle was parked in an 'extremely rural' location, meaning the flames were unlikely to have been visible from a main road.Coroner Mr Leach concluded Mr Mulryan's death was an accident and recorded his cause of death as smoke inhalation.The young trainer, who was the son of horse owner and breeder Liam Mulryan, had already built up an impressive career in the racing industry.He had worked with Denis Hogan and Sir Mark Prescott as well as Baroda Stud in County Kildare before making the move to England.He also previously worked as a stud hand at Ecurie Des Monceaux in Normandy, France. A spokesman for Baroda Stud said Hugh had also been studying law alongside his work and described him as 'such a great chap' and 'very smart'.Mr Hogan previously told the Racing Post that Mr Mulryan had been destined for a 'very bright future'.He added: 'He could have done anything he wanted, but was just so keen on horses.'