Inquest into how Upper Hunter sporting legend ingested deadly pesticide

Douglas Thrift died in December, 2018, an autopsy later revealing he had a fatal concentration of the highly-toxic strychnine in his system. An inquest beginning Monday will examine the source of strychnine and how it was ingested.

A coronial inquest will on Monday begin examining how a well-known and respected Upper Hunter sporting legend ingested a lethal dose of the highly-toxic pesticide strychnine.

Douglas Thrift, 71, was found dead in a bedroom of his Denman home about 8pm on December 1, 2018, only a few hours after he finished his regular Saturday round of golf.

An autopsy later revealed Mr Thrift had died from a fatal concentration of the restricted and highly dangerous substance strychnine.

The medical evidence also suggested the poison, once used as a way for farmers to protect crops and livestock from wild dogs and vermin, had been swallowed or ingested.

Police said in 2020 that Mr Thrift seemed to be universally well-liked with "no known enemies" and they had been treating his death as suspicious "since day one".

When asked if they believed Mr Thrift had been murdered, police said they were "keeping an open mind".

After a more than five-year investigation, a coronial inquest this week will attempt to determine the source of the strychnine and how Mr Thrift administered or ingested it.

The inquest, before Deputy State Coroner Magistrate Carmel Forbes, is scheduled to begin in Newcastle Coroner's Court on Monday morning and run until Friday.

During an appeal for information in 2020, Hunter Valley Detective Inspector Matthew Zimmer said Mr Thrift was in good spirits the day he died having received good news about his health and was making plans for the future.

Douglas Thrift died in December, 2018, an autopsy later revealing he had a fatal concentration of the highly-toxic strychnine in his system. An inquest beginning Monday will examine the source of strychnine and how it was ingested.

"Unfortunately, Mr Thrift would have suffered quite an horrific death," Inspector Zimmer said.

"We are very interested in speaking with people who may have had conversations with him in the days and hours prior to his death."

Inspector Zimmer said Mr Thrift was a "loving father and grandfather" who had strong ties to the community - particularly in local sport.

"We have no information to suggest Doug had any enemies - he was a very well respected member of the Denman community," he said.

"He was actively involved in the sporting community, he was an avid rugby player, he was into his cricket and he loved his golf and he was most happy on his farm."

Douglas Thrift died in December, 2018, an autopsy later revealing he had a fatal concentration of the highly-toxic strychnine in his system. An inquest beginning Monday will examine the source of strychnine and how it was ingested.

Strychnine is a restricted material that the NSW government has classified as a "highly dangerous" Schedule 7 substance, alongside arsenic, cyanides and thallium.

As part of the appeal for information, investigators had been looking for people who had strychnine go missing from their properties in the lead-up to December 1, 2018.