The death of a “reliable, good friend” following a night out at Fabric nightclub was drug related, a coroner has ruled.

Jack Crossley, 18, of Washington Road, Worcester Park, went to the club in Farringdon on August 5, 2016, with two friends, Josh Green and Joe Ryan, Poplar Coroner’s Court heard today (Wednesday, January 4).

The three friends were taking MDMA, smuggled in Mr Crossley’s boxer shorts, as well as some bought in the club’s smoking area, throughout the night, Mr Green said.

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Pic credit: David Mirzoeff/PA Wire

As they were leaving club (pictured above) a security guard noticed that Mr Crossley appeared unwell, and took him to the medical room.

With the former Cheam School student’s heartbeat racing and breathing accelerating, the club’s on-site paramedics called for an ambulance.

Fabric closed in September 2016 after six deaths in four years. It will reopen this weekend.

In a statement read out to the court, Ms Caroline Smith stated that when she first treated Mr Crossley, his pulse was about 190 beats per minute (exceeding a “healthy average” of between about 60 and 90), and he was taking about 40 breaths each minute (compared with a normal rate of between 12 and 20).

Mr Crossley was taken to the Royal London Hospital and suffered two cardiac arrests, the second of which was fatal. Doctors abandoned efforts to resuscitate him just before 9am on August 6.

Coroner Mary Hassell today ruled his death was drug related, and said that young people needed to be more aware of the risks involved in recreational drug taking.

Ms Joanna Hockenhull had given a medical cause of death as MDMA toxicity prior to today’s inquest.

Mr Crossley had 2.2 microgrammes of the drug per millilitre of blood in his body, toxicology tests showed. The toxicologist stated that "fatalities occur" when a person has more than 0.6 microgrammes of MDMA in a millilitre of blood.

Giving her determination at the end of the morning’s proceedings, Ms Hassell, was on the verge of tears as she addressed Mr Crossley’s family. She said: “There is no doubt in my mind that the death was drug related.

“It does not mean the person was a habitual drug user, or mainlining heroin in a drug den.

“At the other end is a young man like Jack, who does MDMA twice before and has gone to a club, and is doing what seems like other people do.”

She added: “We are talking about a naïve drug user, and so many youngsters just don’t perceive the risk.

“We have all done foolish things and just on this one occasion it ended in tragedy.”

From September: Worcester Park man Jack Crossley, 18, named as teenager who died after taking MDMA at Fabric nightclub

Islington Council closed Fabric in September 2016 on the recommendation of the Metropolitan Police after six people had died there in the previous four years. Eighteen-year-old Ryan Browne, had died after taking MDMA there on June 25, 2016 – just six weeks before Mr Crossley’s death.

The club’s general manager Luke Laws today insisted the club had a “zero tolerance” policy to drug taking and had made changes prior to its reopening this weekend. This includes expanded security, welfare teams, and increased CCTV coverage.

Mr Laws said a “reputation” of drug taking concerned “the style of music, rather than the club itself”.

He said: “We don’t want any more deaths. We don’t want the six we have had.

“If we had the silver bullet that would stop people taking MDMA, we would’ve used it already.

“My concern is that no one is telling people that this is happening. Prohibition has not worked completely – people will still take this drug.”

Turning to face Mr Crossley’s family, he added: “I can’t begin to imagine what you have gone through.”

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Jack Crossley (far left) with friends

Mr Crossley’s friend Josh Green told the court: “In Fabric there are a lot of people who are taking drugs. You are more inclined to because you see other people doing it.

“But in other clubs you don’t see it quite as much.”

Joe Ryan said Fabric “seemed like the place that accepted drug taking”, but that the “music was the main draw” for him and his friends, who had been there twice before August 5.

Ms Hassell added the problem of drug-related deaths among young people was “wider than Fabric”.

Mr Ryan paid tribute to his friend while giving his testimony.

He said: “Jack was always happy. He was really funny.

“He was a good friend, and reliable. He would never let you down.

“He was a good friend to have.”

In a statement read outside court, Mr Crossley's uncle Paul Allum said the last five months had been "devastating" for the family.

He said: "At only 18, Jack had his whole life ahead of him - planning his first holiday, getting an apprenticeship in electrics, watching his favourite team Chelsea play, having a beer with his friends at the weekend and spending time with all the family.

"Our only comfort at this sad time is that Jack is now at peace with his dad Terry.

"We hope in the future we can use Jack's tragic death as a way of educating young people to the dangers of using illegal substances in the hope that no family need go through this tragic ordeal."