Brigstock Dad pays tribute to 'best mate' Johnny who died during gap year celebration in Australia

Northamptonshire's senior coroner Anne Pember gave the verdict that his death was alcohol-related, having been found unresponsive by his friends the morning after they put him to bed on December 8, 2023.

The inquest took place on Wednesday (July 2) at the Guildhall in Northampton.

Mrs Pember said: “Johnny Reynolds was working as a gap year student in Australia. He celebrated the end of harvest and was found unresponsive by his friends on 8 December, 2023.

"My conclusion is an alcohol-related death.”

A farmer from Brigstock, Johnny secured a place to study agriculture and business management at university, but chose to take a gap year in South Australia first.

There, he stayed with friends, including farmhand Benjamin Gapp, who knew Johnny as ‘Boris’, a nickname he had been given during his travels.

On the evening of December 8, at around 11pm, Benjamin went over to find Johnny was lying on the ground and snoring, though says ‘people were looking after him.’

Some time later, still believing him to be asleep, Benjamin and friends took Johnny to the outside spare room of the property in Birdseye Highway.

The next morning at around 7am, Benjamin found Johnny in the same position, by which point Benjamin said he ‘could see no sign of life.’

A statement from Charles Reynolds, Johnny’s father, was read out at the inquest.

He said: “Johnny was always more concerned for others than himself. He was always a happy person, unless he was on the wrong side of a rugby match.

"He was a very caring chap. As he became older, he also became one of my best mates.”

A charity has been set up in his name with the aim of being a ‘lasting legacy’ by giving local children and young adults the opportunity to gain access to sport by supporting their development, helping secure funding for those who hold ‘a genuine love or passion of a particular sport.’

A passage from the foundation says: “He would certainly have a go at everything with a beaming smile on his face, not being much good at some activities but taking part and having fun was most important to him.

"His burgeoning talent on the rugby field was quickly apparent from tag rugby as a five-year-old to scoring his try at Twickenham in the U18s school championship – his love of the game and the friendships he made through the sport were clear from the outset.

"He was about to embark on the next part of his exciting journey, having the time of his life and living his dream.

“We all miss him dearly – if his foundation can give just a small part of his lust for life, his humbleness, his hard working attitude and happiness to a deserving person it will have achieved its aim.”

Find out more about the Johnny Reynolds Foundation here.