Warning: This article contains evidence that may be distressing for some readers
Darren Meah-Moore(Image: Darren Britton/WALES NEWS SERVICE)
Hundreds of hours of CCTV have helped police piece together the final movements of a drag queen who ended up dead beneath cardboard boxes in a city centre lane.
CCTV footage revealed how Darren Meah-Moore previously engaged with two different men on the night, disappearing from view each time before reappearing, then failing to reappear after an encounter with a third man.
Darren Meah-Moore was found in a lane close to Windsor Place and Park Lane in Cardiff city centre on Sunday, January 22, 2023. The first day of the inquest into his death heard how he was a well-known drag queen who had performed under the names CC Quinn, Crystal Coutoure and Dolly Diamond, reports Wales Online.
The 39-year-old, who lived in Newport, performed in venues across south Wales, England and abroad, with an act which would see him regularly tell jokes and funny stories, and perform songs by Tina Turner and Amy Winehouse.
CCTV footage and witness statements have shown Mr Meah-Moore entered the lane where he was later found dead with a man, who cannot be named due to a reporting restriction order made by the court.
The second day of the inquest heard evidence from the man, who described a sordid sexual encounter involving his pet dog.
South Wales Police detective superintendent Paul Raikes gave evidence on the third day of the inquest. He assumed senior investigating officer responsibility when coming on duty on Monday, January 23.
Drag artist Darren Meah-Moore(Image: South Wales Police)
He explained how, at the time, there was “clearly concern and suspicion of the nature of the death” and a potential homicide, due to the location where Mr Meah-Moore was found down the lane, blood found at the scene, and cardboard covering his body being a “possible method of concealment”.
He explained that, as well as scene of crime examination, the investigation focused on obtaining “hundreds of hours” of CCTV, which was obtained to track Mr Meah-Moore’s movements on the Saturday evening.
It tracked him travelling on the train from his home in Newport to Cardiff, and followed his movements as he visited the Golden Cross, the Cambrian Tap, Proud Marys, Main Stage and Popworld.
It then captured him outside for a period of time, before engaging with an unknown man, and disappearing out of view for 37 minutes. The officer said it was not possible to establish what happened during this time.
Mr Meah-Moore was then later seen re-appearing on CCTV at 2.23am, on his own, and heading towards Pulse nightclub, where he remained until 4.51am.
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The inquest was told he entered Park Lane with an unknown man, before disappearing out of sight from the camera for seven minutes, and then reappearing with the same man, walking back down onto Queen Street and going their separate ways.
DS Raikes told the inquest that he could “confidently say” that Mr Meah-Moore appeared uninjured and unharmed when he emerged from the lane, and socialised for some time with others on Queen Street.
He was then seen engaging with another man, who cannot be named, and entering the lane again, before disappearing from CCTV view. It was the last time he was seen before he was found dead.
Discussing physical evidence discovered at the scene, DS Raikes said Mr Meah-Moore’s clutch bag and belongings, which contained a mobile phone and a little over £200 (approximately €230) in cash, were all present, which he said “negated” a motive which had been considered that theft or robbery may have played a part in the incident.
A pathological external examination was carried out on Mr Meah-Moore at the scene, before his body was recovered and taken to a mortuary for further investigation.
It was heard how the presence of semen, both human and non-human, were discovered. A DNA sample from the dog of the man who went down the lane, was found to match the sample.
Mr Raikes said there were no signs of restraint and no injury to areas ordinarily associated with an assault.
“His ears, nose, mouth, structure of the neck were not injured or damaged in any way,” he said.
“There were no defence injuries and no bruising present to hands that might suggest defence injury.”
The inquest was told how Mr Meah-Moore had an allergy to dogs, which might have caused some sensitivity, and potential allergic reaction, to being around them.
The man who entered the lane with Mr Meah-Moore was designated as a suspect following the incident, which led to his arrest and a statement being provided.
A further statement was provided once it was discovered that Mr Meah-Moore had been in contact with a dog.
DS Raikes stated that expert advice was sought from an animal behaviourist as part of their investigation, via contact with the National Crime Agency, which was unable to draw on any other previous like-cases to take opinion from.
The inquest was told an expert opinion that it was “highly unlikely” that it was the first time the dog had been used for such a purpose, contrary to the evidence of his owner, who said it was.
The inquest heard the man had refused a police request to hand his dog over for examination, something which had been considered a “cause for concern” for officers.
It was heard that two mobile phones, which had been taken from the man’s home, were not examined as part of the examination, which DS Raikes described as “unfortunate.”
The inquest continues.
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