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Saoud Saeed and David Duvel |
City high-flier was found dead next to Vogue artist
A CITY high-flier and a talented German artist were found dead together in a West Hampstead flat after taking an accidental heroin overdose.
Saoud Saeed, 41, a former Deutsche Bank vice-president dubbed “The Oracle” who suffered from depression after claiming he experienced homophobic abuse at the banking giant, was discovered with David Duvel, 30, a successful artist whose illustrations had featured in fashion magazine Vogue.
The pair, who had been friends for five years after meeting at a treatment clinic, were found by police lying on a mattress in Mr Duvel’s Holmdale Road home in March.
At an inquest at St Pancras Coroner’s Court last Tuesday, detectives said that while the deaths were initially treated as suspicious or as a possible suicide pact, it later became clear Mr Duvel had never taken heroin before and had never reported suicidal thoughts to doctors.
Coroner Dr Andrew Reid recorded a verdict of misadventure after concluding he accidentally took an overdose.
Inspector Adrian Lewis told the court they ruled out foul play after hearing evidence from a Peckham drug user, who said the trio injected themselves with heroin before he left them sleeping and went home.
Mr Saeed, who lived with family in Essex, did not leave a suicide note. Dr Reid, who said he could not be sure he intended to kill himself, recorded an open verdict.
In 2005, Mr Saeed, known as “Sid”, reached an out-of-court settlement with Deutsche Bank over allegations of abuse, but became depressed and was admitted to the Priory clinic.
Peter Tatchell, the gay rights’ campaigner, helped Mr Saeed with his fight against the company. He described his death as “a tragic loss of a very bright and compassionate man”.
Mr Tatchell added: “Sid was a very promising high-flier in Deutsche Bank until he reported experiencing homophobic and racist abuse.
“He was deeply traumatised and subsequently had a nervous breakdown.”
Mr Saeed’s brother Imran said that, prior to his death, the family had reported him missing as son as they suspected he may be about to take drugs.
Outside the court, Mr Duvel’s friends called his death a “terrible tragedy”. |
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