Graphic CCTV Footage Reveals Final Hours of Cardiff Drag Queen
A coroner's court in Pontypridd has been presented with disturbing CCTV evidence detailing the final hours of a well-known Cardiff drag artist whose body was discovered under a pile of cardboard boxes. The inquest into the death of Darren Meah-Moore, who performed under the stage names Crystal Couture and CC Quinn, has heard explicit testimony about the events leading to his sudden demise in January 2023.
Night Out at Pulse Nightclub Turns Tragic
The 39-year-old married performer was last seen leaving the Pulse nightclub in central Cardiff dressed in full drag, complete with a blonde wig, full makeup, and a luminous green dress. The inquest heard that Meah-Moore, a registered sex offender with previous convictions, had engaged in multiple sexual encounters with different men throughout the night before meeting a man walking his dog in the early hours of the morning.
CCTV footage presented to the court showed Meah-Moore interacting with two men earlier in the evening and reappearing on camera multiple times during these encounters. The footage captured his movements through the city centre before his disappearance from view following a third encounter.
Disturbing Testimony About Final Encounter
A man whose identity is protected by court reporting restrictions testified that he went to a secluded car park with Meah-Moore where sexual activity began. During their encounter, the man claimed he tried to "shoo" his dog away but said Meah-Moore instructed him not to intervene.
"Who would think somebody wants to have sex with a dog but apparently he did," the man told the inquest. "I was told to leave him be. Because it was consensual and desired I let him do what he was asked to do. I had never seen something like that before. I could have stopped it and I should have stopped it but I didn't."
The man testified that he "lost interest" when Meah-Moore continued to allow the dog to participate in sexual activity. After the encounter concluded, he said Meah-Moore fell asleep and could not be roused.
Medical Investigation Reveals Unusual Findings
Pathologists discovered both human and non-human semen inside Meah-Moore's body, with DNA testing confirming the non-human semen matched the dog involved in the encounter. While the death was determined not to be "traumatic," medical investigators explored unusual theories about the potential cause.
Coroner David Regan revealed that a pathologist had theorised the drag queen's sudden death might have arisen "from the dog semen," prompting tests to determine whether Meah-Moore had any allergy to dogs. Detective Superintendent Paul Raikes acknowledged that while Meah-Moore did have a sensitivity to dogs, this could not be definitively established as the cause of death.
The original medical cause of death was recorded as sudden death in a man with bronchial asthma who had consumed alcohol and engaged in sexual activity including anal intercourse. The dog's owner was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter but was later released without charge.
Discovery of the Body
Meah-Moore was reported missing by his husband the following morning after failing to return home. A worker at the Pulse nightclub reported seeing him enter a nearby car park, prompting nightclub manager Sean Rogers to investigate.
Mr Rogers testified that he could see part of Meah-Moore's dress from the previous night and discovered his body covered with flattened cardboard boxes that had "definitely been placed on top of him." The boxes were "covering a large part of his body," according to Rogers, who attempted to rouse his friend before running back to his car to call emergency services.
Despite performing CPR until paramedics arrived, Meah-Moore was pronounced dead at the scene. The inquest heard emotional tributes from Meah-Moore's father and husband, who described him as "caring" and "right at the heart of Cardiff's gay community."
Complex Background of the Deceased
The court heard that Meah-Moore was not only a popular drag performer but also a talented gymnast who ran a jewellery business called Bling Bling Bling UK. However, his background included serious criminal convictions that added complexity to the case.
Meah-Moore had been jailed in March 1999 after being convicted of four counts of rape of a boy under 16. In 2011, he received a three-year community order and 300 hours of unpaid work for breaching a sex offender's order, requiring him to register as a sex offender.
In a family tribute read during the proceedings, Meah-Moore was described as "a loving husband, son, brother, uncle and friend" who was "always the life and soul wherever he went." The family statement added: "He made sure he had a lot of time for people, and never judged others."
The Pontypridd inquest, expected to last four days, continues as coroner David Regan examines all evidence surrounding this unusual and tragic death that has shocked Cardiff's LGBTQ+ community.
