Coroner hits out at hotel bosses for refusing to share CCTV that may show British businessman's mystery death on Polish trip

By VIVEK CHAUDHARY, SENIOR REPORTER and EMILY HALL Published: 16:35, 22 July 2026 | Updated: 16:37, 22 July 2026 A coroner has hit out at Polish hotel bosses for refusing to share CCTV footage which may show the death of a British businessman.  Recruitment expert and father-of-three Steve McBride, 40, died after falling 36 feet from a hotel rooftop during a team-building ski resort trip when he went to fetch the keys to his room in the dark. It had been hoped that CCTV from the four-star Hotel Bania in Bialka Tatrzanska might shed light on how Mr McBride came to die. But this week a coroner revealed that the Polish resort hotel had failed to respond to requests to hand over footage - a refusal that he described as 'shameful'. Senior coroner for East London Graeme Irvine said: 'This was a reasonable request to assist with a legal procedure, and there was no reason not to accept it, regardless of what advice they may have been given.' On the evening before Mr McBride's death, he had spoken to his wife Laura and their two children, before heading out for a meal and drinks with colleagues. Mrs McBride, herself a banking professional, was so determined to find out how her husband died, that she hired a private investigator. Evidence gathered by the private eye found that Mr McBride's co-workers had walked him back to his room following the meal, although when they left they realised they still had his room keys. Recruitment expert and father-of-three Steve McBride, 40, died after falling 36 feet from a hotel rooftop during a team-building ski resort trip when he went to fetch the keys to his room in the dark Laura McBride (left, with Steve) described her husband, whom she married in a ceremony in Italy in 2019, as the 'most amazing man' Mr McBride left his room, presumably to find his keys, opened a corridor window and went out onto the sloped roof of the hotel building. From there, it appears that he lost his balance, slipped, fell onto the roof of another building, and then dropped 11 metres to his death. His body was found the next day as his colleagues who had been on a quad biking trip returned to the hotel, which is close to the Slovakian border and where rooms start at £170 per night. Colleagues who were on the work trip with Mr McBride said they had been advised by hotel security to go back to their rooms by a certain route as the hotel's layout was 'disorientating.' Mr McBride, from Chingford, East London, was the managing director and co-founder of Discover International, a recruitment consultancy with offices in the UK, Poland and the United States. Laura McBride described her husband, whom she married in a ceremony in Italy in 2019, as the 'most amazing man', adding: 'He loved helping other people.' The coroner praised Mrs McBride for her unfailing help with the hearing. Mr McBride's company exclusively specialised in life sciences and in 2024 had a turnover of £21 million. The business owner left behind two children and a third on the way: Mrs McBride gave birth to the couple's third daughter soon after his death. Toxicology reports suggested Mr McBride had a blood alcohol concentration of 1.9 - more than twice the 0.8 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood drink-drive limit. The inquest also heard from Mr McBride's business co-founder, Adam Matthews, 45 (Pictured with Steve) The coroner praised Mrs McBride for her unfailing help with the hearing, which recorded an open verdict But coroner Mr Irvine said that would not have contributed to his death and that he was also in good health. The inquest also heard from Mr McBride's business co-founder, Adam Matthews, 45, who said his friend had been on a health kick since learning he was to become a father for the third time. He had jokingly told him he wanted to live until he was 100. The coroner also ruled out suicide as a potential cause of death, saying Mr McBride had been in good spirits, that he was looking forward to the birth of his third child and that he was 'very, very happy'. Mr Irvine said there was not enough evidence for a verdict of accidental death. The coroner, who praised Mr McBride's widow for her help with the hearing, recorded an open verdict, saying: 'This is a dreadfully sad case. I am sorry for your loss, and please accept my condolences.' At the time, Mr Matthews posted on LinkedIn to let colleagues and friends know of the passing. He said: 'It is with profound and deep sorrow that I write this post, to confirm that my brilliant friend and business partner, Steve McBride, has passed away suddenly. 'He leaves behind his wife, his two little girls and an unborn child and it is totally impossible for me to find the words to describe the depth of this tragic loss. 'Steve was a private guy, he had no ego, he didn't like a fuss, he has never courted industry recognition on LinkedIn or other platforms.' He went on: 'Steve was a fantastic guy who lived life to the full. He was brilliant, he was funny, he was smart. 'He had the best stories to tell and delivered them with the driest of wit. He was generous and he was kind. He was such fun to be with. He was the greatest friend and trusted confidante. 'But above all, he was a loving husband and father who adored his wife and children.'