By . Mike Dawes . PUBLISHED: . 04:42 EST, 6 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:11 EST, 6 February 2013 . Twice the legal limit: Mitchell Todd was not wearing a seatbelt and surrounded by empty wine bottles and beer cans when he crashed his car . Budding Scottish rugby star Mitchell Todd was twice the legal drinking limit and was not wearing a seatbelt when he crashed and died following a drinking session at Nottingham Rugby Club, an inquest heard on Tuesday. Former Scotland under-20 international and Nottingham player Todd, 21, was found in his Citroen C3, surrounded by empty wine bottles and beer cans, in a field near Normanton-on-the-Wolds in south Nottinghamshire last August by a member of the public. A post-mortem examination confirmed Todd, who represented Scotland under 20s in last season's Six Nations and featured in the Junior World Cup, died as a result of a catastrophic brain injury which he could not have survived, the inquest at Nottingham Town Hall heard. Todd had drunk excessively after an all-day training event with Nottingham Rugby Club at Trent College in Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire, on August 14 last year before being found in his car in the early hours of the following morning, assistant deputy coroner Jane Gillespie heard. His blood-alcohol reading was 172mg of . alcohol per 100mls of blood an inquest into his death heard today. The . legal driving limit is 80mg. Detective constable Mark Henshaw, from Nottinghamshire Police, told the inquest the young player, who was described by his club as an ‘exceptional talent’, drank free wine and beer at a meal at the end of the training event at the college. He then got a taxi into Nottingham city centre where he continued to drink beer and spirits with his team-mates until 2am. The rugby club had warned players not to drive after the event at the college but an intoxicated Todd ignored this advice and returned to his car. The officer told the inquest it was not known why Todd, who lived in Nod Rise, Coventry, had been driving on Cotgrave Road as he knew no one in that area. Residents in the area described hearing a loud thud around 3.15am on August 15 and seeing a small, dark coloured vehicle travelling at speed to the police. Todd's mother Delia Todd wiped tears from her eyes as Pc Robert Lloyd, a forensics collision investigator with Nottinghamshire Police, described the moments before the crash that claimed her son's life. The officer told the hearing the . Citroen had been travelling in excess of the 40mph speed limit when Todd . lost control of his vehicle on a left hand bend. He then drove on the wrong side of . the road, clipping road signs and trees as he careered across grass . verges and kerbs before failing to take a right hand bend and crashing . through a fence and hedge into a field, Pc Lloyd told the inquest. Talent: Todd, a former Scotland under-20 international and Nottingham Rugby Club (pictured), had drunk excessively after an all-day training event with the Trent College before the crash . An inquest was opened and adjourned . for further investigation by police last summer after the car was found . lying on its roof in the field, pointing towards the road. Pc Lloyd told the hearing the car was found to have no defects but that Todd had not been wearing his seat belt. The officer said: ‘If he had been . wearing his seat belt I think there would have been a very great . difference to the outcome. He would have been shaken up but not have . sustained the serious injuries which he did.’ He confirmed no other vehicles had been involved in the incident and that Todd had been travelling alone in the car. Pc Lloyd said: ‘In my opinion the . cause of the crash was travelling too fast around a left hand bend while . the driver was intoxicated. The state of his injuries were compounded . by the lack of a seat belt.’ Summing up the evidence, Miss . Gillespie described Todd, who was born in Solihull and had just finished . a degree in sports therapy at Coventry University, as a rugby player . with a promising career in front of him. Recording a verdict of accidental . death, the coroner said: ‘This is a sad, unnecessary and preventable . waste of a talented young life and I very much hope that valuable . lessons are learnt as a result of this tragedy. ‘I find that the combination of . intoxication, excess speed and Mitchell's failure to wear a seatbelt . resulted in this terrible incident and the catastrophic brain injury . suffered by Mitchell, which he simply could not survive. Tragedy: Mitchell Todd was rushed to Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, but died of a massive brain injury . ‘Taking into account all of the evidence available to me, my verdict is one of accidental death. ‘I extend my deepest sympathies to Mitchell's family and friends.’ Ms Todd made no comment following the verdict. Nottingham Rugby chief executive . Simon Beatham said: ‘Everyone at Nottingham Rugby continues to mourn the . death of an exceptionally talented young man. ‘The loss of Mitchell touched this club profoundly and our hearts, thoughts and sympathies are with all his family and friends.’ Todd signed a new contract with the . club in May and was expected to make a big impact during the 2012-2013 . season, the club added. He qualified for Scotland through his . Edinburgh-born father and had also represented Scottish Exiles from . under-17 to under-20 level. He won 10 Scotland under-20 caps and played . in the IRB Junior World Championship. Rob Brierley, the Scottish Rugby . Union's performance development manager for Exiles, said: ‘Mitch was a . quiet, sensitive bloke with a real steely determination never more . evident than on the rugby pitch. ‘He was a real athlete, somebody who was late to the game and was developing all the time.’ The Scottish Rugby Union added: ‘Scottish Rugby extends its sincere condolences to all Mitchell Todd's family and friends.’ Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
Mitchell Todd, 21, was twice the legal drinking limit at the time of the crash .
He died as a result of a catastrophic brain injury .
Assistant deputy coroner gave a verdict of accidental death .
By . Mike Dawes . PUBLISHED: . 04:42 EST, 6 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:11 EST, 6 February 2013 . Twice the legal limit: Mitchell Todd was not wearing a seatbelt and surrounded by empty wine bottles and beer cans when he crashed his car . Budding Scottish rugby star Mitchell Todd was twice the legal drinking limit and was not wearing a seatbelt when he crashed and died following a drinking session at Nottingham Rugby Club, an inquest heard on Tuesday. Former Scotland under-20 international and Nottingham player Todd, 21, was found in his Citroen C3, surrounded by empty wine bottles and beer cans, in a field near Normanton-on-the-Wolds in south Nottinghamshire last August by a member of the public. A post-mortem examination confirmed Todd, who represented Scotland under 20s in last season's Six Nations and featured in the Junior World Cup, died as a result of a catastrophic brain injury which he could not have survived, the inquest at Nottingham Town Hall heard. Todd had drunk excessively after an all-day training event with Nottingham Rugby Club at Trent College in Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire, on August 14 last year before being found in his car in the early hours of the following morning, assistant deputy coroner Jane Gillespie heard. His blood-alcohol reading was 172mg of . alcohol per 100mls of blood an inquest into his death heard today. The . legal driving limit is 80mg. Detective constable Mark Henshaw, from Nottinghamshire Police, told the inquest the young player, who was described by his club as an ‘exceptional talent’, drank free wine and beer at a meal at the end of the training event at the college. He then got a taxi into Nottingham city centre where he continued to drink beer and spirits with his team-mates until 2am. The rugby club had warned players not to drive after the event at the college but an intoxicated Todd ignored this advice and returned to his car. The officer told the inquest it was not known why Todd, who lived in Nod Rise, Coventry, had been driving on Cotgrave Road as he knew no one in that area. Residents in the area described hearing a loud thud around 3.15am on August 15 and seeing a small, dark coloured vehicle travelling at speed to the police. Todd's mother Delia Todd wiped tears from her eyes as Pc Robert Lloyd, a forensics collision investigator with Nottinghamshire Police, described the moments before the crash that claimed her son's life. The officer told the hearing the . Citroen had been travelling in excess of the 40mph speed limit when Todd . lost control of his vehicle on a left hand bend. He then drove on the wrong side of . the road, clipping road signs and trees as he careered across grass . verges and kerbs before failing to take a right hand bend and crashing . through a fence and hedge into a field, Pc Lloyd told the inquest. Talent: Todd, a former Scotland under-20 international and Nottingham Rugby Club (pictured), had drunk excessively after an all-day training event with the Trent College before the crash . An inquest was opened and adjourned . for further investigation by police last summer after the car was found . lying on its roof in the field, pointing towards the road. Pc Lloyd told the hearing the car was found to have no defects but that Todd had not been wearing his seat belt. The officer said: ‘If he had been . wearing his seat belt I think there would have been a very great . difference to the outcome. He would have been shaken up but not have . sustained the serious injuries which he did.’ He confirmed no other vehicles had been involved in the incident and that Todd had been travelling alone in the car. Pc Lloyd said: ‘In my opinion the . cause of the crash was travelling too fast around a left hand bend while . the driver was intoxicated. The state of his injuries were compounded . by the lack of a seat belt.’ Summing up the evidence, Miss . Gillespie described Todd, who was born in Solihull and had just finished . a degree in sports therapy at Coventry University, as a rugby player . with a promising career in front of him. Recording a verdict of accidental . death, the coroner said: ‘This is a sad, unnecessary and preventable . waste of a talented young life and I very much hope that valuable . lessons are learnt as a result of this tragedy. ‘I find that the combination of . intoxication, excess speed and Mitchell's failure to wear a seatbelt . resulted in this terrible incident and the catastrophic brain injury . suffered by Mitchell, which he simply could not survive. Tragedy: Mitchell Todd was rushed to Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, but died of a massive brain injury . ‘Taking into account all of the evidence available to me, my verdict is one of accidental death. ‘I extend my deepest sympathies to Mitchell's family and friends.’ Ms Todd made no comment following the verdict. Nottingham Rugby chief executive . Simon Beatham said: ‘Everyone at Nottingham Rugby continues to mourn the . death of an exceptionally talented young man. ‘The loss of Mitchell touched this club profoundly and our hearts, thoughts and sympathies are with all his family and friends.’ Todd signed a new contract with the . club in May and was expected to make a big impact during the 2012-2013 . season, the club added. He qualified for Scotland through his . Edinburgh-born father and had also represented Scottish Exiles from . under-17 to under-20 level. He won 10 Scotland under-20 caps and played . in the IRB Junior World Championship. Rob Brierley, the Scottish Rugby . Union's performance development manager for Exiles, said: ‘Mitch was a . quiet, sensitive bloke with a real steely determination never more . evident than on the rugby pitch. ‘He was a real athlete, somebody who was late to the game and was developing all the time.’ The Scottish Rugby Union added: ‘Scottish Rugby extends its sincere condolences to all Mitchell Todd's family and friends.’ Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
Todd was twice the legal drinking limit and was World Cup, died as a result of a catastrophic verdict of accidental . death, the coroner said: brain injury . suffered by Mitchell, which he