Former rugby league star Ricky Bibey attacked his partner Jennie Platt at a Florence hotel before he was found dead, an inquest heard. Platt sustained life-changing injuries after the 6ft 2in, 19-stone former athlete assaulted her while intoxicated by alcohol and drugs.
Attack at Hotel Continentale
Platt said she 'fought back' during the violent struggle before losing consciousness. Bibey's naked body was later discovered in a room at the Continentale Hotel in Florence on 16 July 2022. A post-mortem examination determined the cause of death as 'neck compression'.
Bibey, 48, from Oldham, was a father-of-three and former rugby league player who represented Wigan Warriors, Leigh Centurions, St Helens and Wakefield Trinity, winning the Challenge Cup twice.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse
The inquest at Rochdale Coroner's Court heard Bibey had struggled with mental health issues and substance dependency after retiring from professional sport. Platt, an estate agent, said she travelled to Italy to revive their relationship of three-and-a-half years. Bibey had undergone multiple periods of residential treatment at Sporting Chance clinic, a charity for athletes with addiction, with his final visit in January 2020. His father later funded his stay at Acquiesce, a private rehab clinic in Bolton, but he suffered relapses.
Platt described his drug use as 'a bit of a spiral' and 'a crutch for him when he was really struggling'. She said he would disappear for days, then be 'upset with himself and apologetic', adding that he 'felt really lost'.
Events Leading to the Attack
Before the trip, Bibey's behaviour became 'really erratic' and he 'went off the rails'. The couple agreed to try to 'make things work', but he went 'on a bender' days before. Platt initially decided not to go but changed her mind after he showed her a noose in his flat. In Florence, Bibey bought prosecco, gave her one glass and 'downed the rest'. He kept 'disappearing', and Platt suspected he was buying drugs. She admitted she also took some drugs.
Back in the hotel room, Platt heard him snorting cocaine. She confronted him and said she would get a separate room, but agreed to stay. When she grabbed a duvet to sleep in the bathroom, he 'yanked her out'. She fought back and thought he had left, but when he returned, she said 'it was like it wasn't him' – his eyes were 'glazed' and 'like a demon'. He became agitated and refused to let her leave, saying 'no-one is leaving the room tonight'.
Platt said she was 'really scared' and begged him to stop. He grabbed her as she scrambled away, kicking him 'as hard as I could'. She shouted her sons' names but 'just could not get away'. She recalled her 'last breath' before losing consciousness. When she woke on the bathroom floor, she found Bibey 'hanging' with a ligature around his neck. She tried to resuscitate him but failed, then hammered on a door for help.
Aftermath and Investigation
Platt spent time in intensive care and sustained 'life-changing' injuries requiring multiple surgeries. She was initially treated as a suspect by Italian police, who investigated the incident as a possible murder. Detective Inspector Clare Harrison of Greater Manchester Police said Florence detectives later decided not to pursue charges, concluding Platt was so severely injured she 'physically would not have been able' to exert the necessary force to Bibey's neck.
Pathologist Dr Charles Wilson, who conducted a second post-mortem in the UK, recorded the cause of death as 'neck compression', consistent with the Italian autopsy. He noted injuries including a bruise to the scalp, abrasions to the head, neck, limbs and right wrist, and bruising to his right knuckles. He could not identify ligature marks on the front or back of the neck, which he described as 'a bit perplexing' and not typical of self-suspension hanging. Abrasions to the nose suggested Bibey had either been gripped or snorted cocaine. Toxicology detected cocaine in his system, though the quantity 'wasn't high', and alcohol.
Testimony from Family and Doctors
Bibey's GP, Dr Peter Walsh, confirmed he had received treatment for mental health issues since 2017. Colin Bland, director of Sporting Chance, said Bibey was first referred in 2017, spending a month in Hampshire. He returned in 2019 after an attempted hanging, and again in 2021 and 2022. Bibey also completed a two-month programme at Acquiesce in 2022, funded by his father.
His father, Ronald Bibey, described him as 'a very happy child, curious and adventurous' with a 'cheeky smile' and 'happy-go-lucky' nature. He had a 'natural flare for rugby' and was signed by Wigan Warriors at 14. The sport 'instilled a great work ethic' and discipline. His mental health declined when a ruptured Achilles tendon ended his career. 'Like most people's lives, he made mistakes along the way and he's never to shy to take responsibility or say sorry,' said Ronald. 'Ricky was very much loved and adored by his family and friends... We can never put into words just how loved he was and how proud he made us.'
Open Verdict
Assistant Coroner Lisa Judge recorded an open verdict, establishing the medical cause of death as 'neck compression'. She said evidence showed Bibey positioned the ligature around his own neck, but it did not prove whether he intended to take his own life. She noted he had been 'floundering' after retirement, which previously gave him 'structure' and 'purpose'. Drugs and alcohol 'materially affected his personality and judgement'. Judge accepted Platt's testimony, stating she had been 'subjected to serious violence by Ricky Bibey' and acted to 'defend herself'. Her injuries were 'not compatible with her being responsible for any act of violence', and she had endured 'exceptional trauma'. Judge said Bibey's behaviour 'had become irrational and confused and markedly different from his usual presentation'.
