Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

A REGISTERED nurse yesterday told the coroner's inquest into the death of former Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer, that several attempts were made to revive him prior to the arrival of an ambulance at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, where his body was found on March 18.

The nurse, Novelette Robinson, was a member of the World Cup medical team stationed at the hotel. She said she went to Woolmer's room after front-desk staff informed her that a guest had collapsed on the 12th floor. Robinson said she saw what appeared to be bloodstains on the pillows on his bed, an unplugged respiratory machine, and an overturned chair at the foot of the bed.

She moved to the bathroom where she saw Khori-Ann Robb, the hotel's sales manager. Both eventually made their way into the bathroom where they found the 58-year-old Woolmer lying motionless and nude in a corner next to the toilet.

"The first thing I felt for was a pulse on his right wrist, but there was none. There was no rise and fall of the chest, which suggested the victim was not breathing," Ms. Robinson said.

The nurse told Coroner Patrick Murphy and the 11-member jury that further attempts to resuscitate the former England player were made when two members of the hotel's security team and Dr. Asher Cooper - who arrived at the scene several minutes later - moved his body to the passageway of the room. These attempts were also futile.

Pronounced dead

Robinson said an ambulance arrived at the hotel at 11:40 a.m., almost one hour after she had entered the coach's room.

Woolmer, whose team was eliminated from the World Cup the previous day by Ireland, was pronounced dead at the University Hospital of the West Indies.

An autopsy report by government pathologist Dr. Ere Seshiah ruled that Woolmer died from asphyxia caused by manual strangulation. But another examination by Dr. Nathaniel Cary, of the Metropolitan Police in London, showed he died from heart failure.

Robinson was one of three persons who testified on the third day of the inquest at the Jamaica Conference Centre. Robb, who also visited the scene, and the hotel's information systems manager Lorraine Taite, also took the stand.

The inquest continues today.