Man scalded to death in massage parlour

BY PAUL WILKINSON

A MAN was scalded to death after he fell asleep in a sauna at a massage parlour billed as the "ultimate pleasure centre", an inquest was told yesterday.

Douglas Green, 39, who had been drinking, should have been in the sauna for a maximum of 15 minutes but it was more than two hours before staff found his body.

Dr John Clark, a consultant pathologist, said his body had been subjected to "considerable heat" at the Omega massage parlour in Sheffield and his skin showed evidence of blistering. He also found alcohol levels of 158mg per 100 millilitres of blood which he said was "not excessive but nearly double the legal drink-driving limit".

He added: "I feel that he died from the direct effect of too much heat on him as a result of being in the sauna too long." He gave the cause of death as hyperthermia and scalding by exposure to excessive heat.

Dr Clark told the inquest in Sheffield: "If he had fallen asleep, then perhaps he did not realise he was getting too hot. The body can become very hot very quickly. It can come on quite suddenly and spiral out of control."

He said there had been a significant number of deaths in saunas in Sweden where there had been a common association between high alcohol levels and sudden death. He said the normal body temperature was 37C and hyperthermia could arise at 39C to 40C.

"I could find no evidence of cardiac arrest," Dr Clark said. "Perhaps he fell asleep. I think this could be a significant factor. Most saunas will have an alcohol warning on them and anyone who is drunk should not be in there."

Richard Kershaw, a night supervisor at the sauna, said that Mr Green, from Sheffield, arrived at about 11.10pm on Friday, November 5, last year. He paid #10 admission. At 1.45am Mr Kershaw was told there was a problem and found Mr Green lying on one of the benches with no sign of a pulse.

He said: "He would often arrive at the sauna after being at the pub drinking and was known as Jesus because of his long hair and beard. He was not drunk but he had been drinking.

"To my knowledge he would not use the services of the girls who worked there but I had known him to watch films and he had been visiting the place over several years."

Lisa Bownes, a masseuse at the sauna, saw him walk towards the shower and sauna area when there were about 12 other customers in the premises. She said the next time she saw him he was lying on his right-hand side with his head towards the door and he appeared to be asleep.

Claire Staniforth, another masseuse, said: "He seldom uses any of the girls and rarely talks."

Anthony Barrett, the sauna's owner, said Mr Green sometimes stayed all night at the Omega. "Everybody is gutted. All the workers knew him. He never caused any problems and did his own thing. He was quiet and often stayed all night watching videos." He said no alcohol was sold on the premises. A camera has since been fitted to monitor customers.

Detective Sergeant Paul Monfredi said security cameras had shown Mr Green walking towards a locker room. He did not appear to be the worse for drink.

He said: "The impression I got is that he went to the sauna soon after he entered the premises. I estimate he went to the sauna at around 11.30pm and services were alerted at 1.45am."

A sign outside the sauna advised elderly people or those suffering from medical conditions not to use it. It also give warning that it should not be used under the influence of alcohol or drugs and advised a maximum period of 15 minutes. Longer periods could result in nausea, dizziness or fainting.

The Omega advertises in local newspapers as the "ultimate pleasure centre, sensual massage, sauna, steam, spa, VIP suite, 6-10 stunning ladies at any time. Open 24 hours."

Verdict: accidental death.

-- Uncle Bob (unclb0b@aol.com), May 05, 2000

Answers

OK,

This was ruled an accidental death in the UK, Great Britain, England, where it happened. Which is terrible, wherever it might have happened.

Link

But what I'd like to know is: how would it be ruled in the U.S.?

-- Chicken Little (panic@forthebirds.net), May 06, 2000.

"Claire Staniforth, another masseuse, said: "He seldom uses any of the girls and rarely talks.""

I like this quote. Makes a great case for porn and prostitution. Women being "used", just like a towel to be thrown in the hamper afterwards.

Who was it that said that porn wasn't debasing to women?

I say sex is used by men to keep control over women. Porn is mainly to serve men, not women. Women who go along with porn and prostitution and swear they like it, don't know any better. That's how they were raised and brainwashed to think.

-- (men@using.women), May 06, 2000.

"Claire Staniforth, another masseuse, said: "He seldom uses any of the girls and rarely talks."

It's interesting that this phraseology was employed by a female, not by the man. I presume that the women were "voluntarily" offering themselves to be "used", in exchange for a suitable amount of the local "coin of the realm".

-- Interesting (interesting@isnt.it), May 06, 2000.

men,

How many masseuses and prostitutes have you conversed with lately?

-- Wonderin (about@lots.of.things), May 06, 2000.