Student died of head injuries - Coroner

The Chief Coroner is making public his findings into the death of King's College student David Gaynor, in a bid to correct rumours and speculation.

The 17-year-old suffered a fatal head injury after a fall from a motorway overbridge, on the night of last year's King's College ball.

Chief Coroner Judge Neil MacLean has found David Gaynor drank alcohol at two pre-ball functions, and toxicology results show he had a blood alcohol reading four times the legal youth driving limit.

He also had two illicit drugs in his system, cannabis and a party drug known as 4-MEC.

It's not known when David Gaynor used those drugs.

His father was called to pick him up from the ball on suspicion of being intoxicated, but no drugs were found on him at the ball.

Judge MacLean says the combined effect of alcohol and drugs impaired the teenager's judgement on the night he died.

King's College headmaster Bradley Fenner won't comment on the specifics of the report, but says staff and the school community are aware of its release.

"The reports speaks for itself, it outlines in detail in a very balanced way, a very tragic event."

Mr Fenner says the school has since worked with a high level support team to expand its counselling services, and review drug and alcohol policies.

"We've also done quite a lot of work particularly with our senior students around the area of decision making, and good decision making and also ethical decision making."

Following on from the death of the teenage, the Government's being urged to take the same strong stance on alcohol, as it is on tobacco.

Alcohol and drug counsellor Roger Brooking says it comes back to the price and availability of alcohol.

"The Government has been really tough in dealing with tobacco and has consistently raised the price, and intend to raise the price of tobacco year, after year, after year."

Roger Brooking says the same approach needs to be taken with alcohol.

Photo: NZ Herald