A STUDENT accidentally choked him-self to death after a sex act went wrong.

Daniel Harris, 20, whose family are from Abingdon, died in his bedroom at his home in Sydney, Australia on June 21 last year.

The inquest at Oxfordshire Coroner’s Court yesterday heard that Mr Harris was found partly undressed with a belt around his neck that was attached to a door knob in his room.

A toxicology report showed no drugs and a level of alcohol just above the UK drink-drive limit in his body. Mr Harris had been out with friends the evening before he was found.

Friend Thomas West said in a statement that Mr Harris had spoken to him about auto-erotica – a method of increasing sexual excitement by restricting oxygen supply to the brain.

Oxfordshire coroner Darren Salter said: “Daniel Harris never spoke to him in detail. He never thought Daniel had used auto-erotica and thought he was just making a joke.”

In another statement, constable Iain Adcock from North Sydney Police said: “I am of the opinion that between midnight and 8am Daniel Harris looped a belt around his neck and tied it around the door knob. It is unlikely he tried to attempt suicide.”

Mr Salter said: “Very sadly, it is an accidental death, it seems, on the evidence.” He added: “It is a sad case, extremely sad.”

He recorded a verdict of accidental death.