Heartbreak of Stephen Gately's hubby

Sensational statement made by Boyzone star's grieving partner

GRIEVING: Andy Cowles

Last night with Steo's body was hardest ever

Boyzone break their silence on Stephen Gately death.

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By James Weatherup, 25/10/2009

STEPHEN Gately's grief-stricken partner Andy Cowles has spoken movingly of the heartbreak moment he found his lover's body and realised he had lost the Boyzone star for ever.

Official legal documents obtained by the News of the World reveal how internet tycoon Cowles told the Majorca judge investigating Stephen's death: "I saw that he was cold and his lips were blue.

"I shouted at him, 'Darling, wake up!' but he was already dead."

Cowles' official statement also proves that boy band legend Stephen DID take drugs and WAS "very drunk" in the hours before his tragic death.

Today we publish the FULL details of the 33-year-old singer's final night - details that will shock both his family and fans.

Evidence from Stephen's civil partner Cowles reveals he, Stephen and Bulgarian waiter Georgi Dochev were heavily intoxicated when they arrived back at their holiday home in the early hours of October 10.

The testimony sensationally confirms Stephen had drunk at least TWO BOTTLES of wine then "smoked a marijuana joint".

But discrepancies between Cowles' statement and that of Dochev - who the couple met as they toured several gay clubs in the island capital - will heap pressure on the Spanish authorities to reopen their investigation into Stephen's death.

HAPPY: Stephen and Andrew

The most glaring difference is the absence in Cowles' statement of any mention of sexual activity at the couple's apartment in Port Andratx. But in Dochev's evidence he said they "were intimate", implying sex involving at least two of the men.

Cowles, 32, also stated that Dochev ASKED to stay at the £1 million flat. But Dochev says he was INVITED back.

In addition, Dochev's statement reportedly stated that it was only Stephen who smoked marijuana. Cowles says both Stephen and Dochev took the drug. Timing is also disputed. Cowles said they returned to the flat at 5.30am, Dochev said they were back well before then and he went to sleep at 5.30am.

Cowles gave his statement to judge Maria del Carmen Abrines Marti behind closed doors at Palma's Court of Instruction No 10 on the Tuesday, just 72 hours after Stephen's death. Speaking through an interpreter, the judge asked a series of questions, the answers forming Cowles' statement.

A source at the court told us: "It's clear from Cowles' evidence he and Stephen started the night sober but drank a lot in the nightclub and by the time they returned to the flat were very drunk.

"He has also confirmed what urine tests revealed - Stephen smoked cannabis that night."

Although Cowles revealed Stephen had already consumed one bottle of wine at dinner before arriving at the Aries nightclub in Palma's gay district at 11.57pm on October 9, he showed no visible sign of being drunk on CCTV footage revealed by the News of the World last Sunday.

The couple left the club after just 36 minutes at 12.33am - again with Stephen appearing sober - and walked 50 yards to the Euphoria nightspot.

After meeting Dochev the trio moved on to the Black Cat club where they drank three bottles of champagne, were given a bag of marijuana and stayed until around 4am before returning to the apartment.

Dochev said in his statement there was then more drinking, sex took place, and at 5.30am he went to a bedroom to sleep leaving Stephen and Cowles on a sofa.

He said he was woken by a doorbell at 10.30am but went back to sleep, waking again half an hour later and spotting Stephen and Cowles still asleep on the settee.

Dochev said he got up for a cigarette thinking that Stephen was still sleeping.

He then heard Cowles go into the other bedroom, so went in and joined him, and did not emerge again until 1pm.

After showering and dressing he sat beside Stephen on the sofa and recognised that something wasn't right.

After alerting Cowles they tried to get Stephen up and wake him, without success.

When they realised he was dead they called the emergency services.

A report filed by two Civil Guard officers reveals they were alerted at 2pm and found Stephen, wearing only a black T-shirt and underwear, with his knees on the ground and sat on his legs slightly inclined towards the left, his head face down on a cushion.

Stephen was officially pronounced dead by Dr Fernando Grau Ferrer at 2.25pm.

Your comments

This article has 49 comments

I've been following this story from Santa Monica, CA. As the MAJORITY of people here write, ENOUGH! Leave Stephen alone! It's NO ONE's business what he did or did not do. He's gone.

Actually he moved to The Other Side. His spirit is in a better place than around the few here who may still be "alive" but lead pretty pathetic lives.

By FunMe. Posted October 30 2009 at 9:49 PM.

Could people please drop it and let Stephen rest in peace now? His family, friends and fans have gone through enough heartache since his passing. What one does during their holiday, wether they are known or unknown is their choice, and the end of the story is, the cause of death is "pulmonary oedema" which is a natural cause, and no matter what brought it on, it's still considered a natural cause. Arguing about it won't change the end result, and it certainly will not bring him back.
His loved ones and people who love him don't need to be more upset than they already are. And people who passed away still have the right to be respected through the respect shown to the people they left behind. Thank you !
Rest in peace, Stephen.

By Angel Green . Posted October 28 2009 at 5:05 PM.

i do feel sorry for andrew but just a lil bit... i mean when he attacked him and put him in a headlock it ovi showed he musnt of cared for him that much!

By laura. Posted October 26 2009 at 2:20 PM.

let STEPHEN rest in peace . he is still being missed leave him be. REST IN PEACE STEPHEN

By christine van Tuil. Posted October 26 2009 at 10:01 AM.

condolence to stephen's family and to the BOYZONE's family... RIP STEPHEN. BOYZONE forever!!!

By ahmad. Posted October 26 2009 at 9:45 AM.

God, if having a few drinks and a joint killed you, there would be alot more dead.
Time to leave it alone. He has gone.

By dee. Posted October 26 2009 at 12:04 AM.

Please, can't we just let Stephen rest in peace and his family, partner, the boyz and his friends deal with their grief without all of this cr*p. Does it really matter how this tragedy happened. It was, at the end of the day, tragic and down to natural causes. That should be an end to this very sorry situation.

By Denise. Posted October 25 2009 at 11:36 PM.

Absolutely devestating news. RIP Stephen xx

By Claire. Posted October 25 2009 at 10:04 PM.

I cant believe some people are so quick to stick the boot into Andrew. He was NOT the one who went to the papers. Anyone can see by the pictures of them together just how much they loved each other.

Andrew has shown dignity and strength over the last few difficult weeks and stephen would have been proud.

Leave Andrew and the family alone now, enough is enough.

By kate. Posted October 25 2009 at 10:04 PM.

2 Weeks ago stephen died, a huge shock to us all! his family, friends, the boyz, and his loyal fans, a week ago we said an emotional goodbye to him @ his funeral, and now these allogations are being made, when we already know the truth, "steo died of natural causes" end off! steo was a lovable and private person, what he does on holiday is his and andys buisness and no one elses, Don't u think these people that are close to stephen have been through enough with out these allogations been thrown at them! and cause extreme anger and upset.

By caroline Hingley. Posted October 25 2009 at 10:03 PM.

the trouble is. . . people arn't stupid and the sequence of events and the substances quoted to have been in his body dont add up to 'natural causes' and you dont have to be a home office pathologist to get that.

stephen was an amazing talented warm attractive chap & there is no INTENTION to offend gay people or to upset his nearest & dearest. however, the fact that he was on the gay club scene & the fact that SOME aspects of it are QUESTIONABLE is what is causing this outpouring of speculation & curiosity.

similarly when other well known people have died prematurely & events don't add up people want to know. it's human nature. we don't want to think that anything untoward happened to him. it's not in any way intended to hurt or upset anyone. we the fans who loved him just want the truth.

contrary to the uproar at daily mail jan moir's insensitive comments -this all has nothing to do with 'disliking gays' or disrespecting stephen's life. he had a good reputation he was loved by all and he was fit & healthy & thanks to his loving family & upbringing was following his dreams.

it is the mere fact that brazen promiscuity & taking narcotic substances are 'familiar' on the club scene & many people feel perhaps that stephen unwittingly fell foul of influences such as these. if he had the quoted 'antidepressants', 'alcohol' & cannabis 'spliff' in his body coupled with certain activities as suggested in the press then surely that was the trigger for any underlying condition. it is not a 'natural' cause if it happens to a fit 33-year old. if he'd been sitting on a beach or shopping the outcome they want us to believe would have been easier to accept. i can't help thinking though if he didn't indulge that night he would still be with us.

like the 'diana' case - will people ever know the real truth?!!
rest in peace stephen you were loved by more than you ever knew. x

By hello.barry.g. Posted October 25 2009 at 9:30 PM.

Ever occurred to the NOTW that Andrew's statement makes no reference to any sexual activity taking place between him and/or Stephen with Georgi Dochev, because none actually took place?

All those who knew and loved Stephen, can only trust that Andrew, has been honest with Stephen's parent's about their son's final hours but, nevertheless, the fact is Stephen died of a cardiogenic pulmonary oedema and at a tragically young age.

It's clear that Andrew, the Gately family, Stephen's fellow Boyz, his friends and his fans are struggling to come to terms with his death without endless speculation as to what he did, or did not do, in his final hours.

I'm remembering Stephen for all he achieved and all the good that he did his life. He is in the tender care of the Lord now and my thoughts are will all those, blessed enough, to have loved him and be loved by him.

Stephen Patrick David Gately, RIP. The lad is dead and in no position to refute what is being said, and written, about his final hours. Indeed, grieving as he is, I don't know how Andrew is keeping his silence.

By David . Posted October 25 2009 at 6:19 PM.

what has it got to do with ANYBODY what Stephen did on his last night? He is entitled to live as he wishes and to allwed to rest with dignity and respect, sleazy?? what sad people there are out there rushing to cast aspersions on a mans character. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone........ think about it, RIP steo, your band mates and family know the truth what more do you want??

By kula. Posted October 25 2009 at 5:01 PM.

my god just leave him alone he is at peace now can anyone see what all this will do to his family we all have a drink now and again it has nout got to do with anyone only him. so you rest in peace our firend love you stephen we love you and andy be happy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

By christina egan. Posted October 25 2009 at 3:02 PM.

an friend of mine died years ago due the same thing. death by suffocation. he died after drinking and partying by his vomit. it's tragic.

i think people do want to know about it and they think it's mysterious because he could have been helped. but that wasn't so unfortunately ..

only the people who spent time with them in stephen's last hours will ever know.

may this young man has found his peace ..

i had a big crush on him when i was 11. i will miss him. it makes me crying when i see how happy he was on the pictures.

gone too soon.

this isn't a good year for celebrities i think .. there have gone too many of them.

By k. Posted October 25 2009 at 3:01 PM.

Oh what a shame, lol

By Tosh. Posted October 25 2009 at 1:29 PM.

Stephens husband hasn't spilt the beans to a national newspaper, his official statement given to the police has been leaked! RIP Stephen, your husband family friends and millions of fans miss you heaps - condolences to andrew and family x

By Jo. Posted October 25 2009 at 12:55 PM.

I think most people would have been surprised to learn after the initial shock of Stephens death that a 3rd party was at the flat. And that unfortunately escalated matters.

By binky. Posted October 25 2009 at 12:38 PM.

i have just read todays "update"on stephen gately x
and i have to say i am now totally sick of all the rubbish people are trying to drag up please leave our lovely steo alone "his fans will be shocked"well guess wot were not!!he was human and a bloody kind and loving one at that why cant the press stop trying to dramatise everything he was a 33 year old man someones loving son .his parents and his close friends and his "loyal"fans know the real steo he was fantastic with us fans he never ever failed to please us a true gent so gentle and kind so he dranj 2 bottles of wine /champagne and some weed gasp horror big shock jesus im a nice person i dam not a cruel horrid person and i have drunk enuf in one night to be amazed at how the hell i got home that doesnt condemn me to hell!!im sure if we delved into half the nations private lives we would all have something interesting going on ,i read wot is being written in the papers and think i must have missed something has steo murdered someone ??no of course not hes just a human being who was living his life exactly the same as we all live ours except now he has passed people seem to relish on finding some miniscule piece of information about him that they actually think that us the fans and joe public would find "shocking"well your wasting your time all you are doing is upsetting his friends and family unnessicerily dont you think their hearts are breaking enough !i have a 21yr old son and if at the age of 33 he turns out to be half the person steo was then i will be a very happy mother! please please leave steo to rest in peace he deserves that at least !

By amanda woodrow. Posted October 25 2009 at 12:48 PM.

So what, some people are saying is that if he didn't have alcohol or smoked dope that night he would have still died from natural causes, strange that wasn't he healthy? so why wouldn't people want to know the truth, people are curious as to what happenend that night , if youre famous it goes with the celebrity status unfortunately as with any other celebrity.

By squiggybum. Posted October 25 2009 at 12:42 PM.

Andrew@1.30am. By what twisted process of logic do you imagine that we have a 'right to know' what happened during Stephen Gately's final hours? Just because he was well known doesn't mean the public have an automatic right to know the details of his private life. And to the person who accuses his husband of talking to Sunday papers - read the article properly! The details came from statements given as part of the investigtion into Stephen's death. One wonders if the private lives of those who sit in judgement of others in this way, would stand up to such close scrutiny. RIP Stephen.

By Nicola. Posted October 25 2009 at 12:35 PM.

Just let the poor lad Rest In Peace, if he was or wasn't drunk, drugged, doesn't matter now.

By Sharon. Posted October 25 2009 at 12:30 PM.

Truth Hurts. Deffo sleazy. Jan Moir was right all along. People who crave the limelight and love attention bring it upon themselves when sleazy tabloids print sleazy -albeit true - stories about them.

By Deano. Posted October 25 2009 at 12:30 PM.

Drinking large amounts of alcohol in one session can cause brain damage or death- this is a well know medical fact.
The people that dont die are just lucky. If you party hard , then you put your body at risk, its common sense.
It doesnt matter how nice you are, or whether you are gay or not, you have to respect the human body.

By Andy. Posted October 25 2009 at 11:42 AM.

please let Stephen Rest In Peace. We the public dont need to know what Stephen did in his Private Life. Would all the People reading these messages want all their private life splashed all over the Tabloids including skeltons in their Closets.I dont think so. All we need to know is that Stephen is loved by his husband, Family, Bandmates and Me Mary K. Rest in Peace Stephen.

By mary king. Posted October 25 2009 at 11:21 AM.

Enough already! The fact remains that Stephen died due to natural causes: evidence found in the post mortem.
Why do people feel the need to make more out of it? Its not achieving anything accept perhaps adding more hurt on top of what the people who loved Stephen already have to deal with.
Does it matter what Stephen did on a night out with his husband? Because that's all it was..a night out! Im sure were all guilty of one of those?!
For some people who are curious as to what Stephen did that night, think about your last night out, and that might help explain it..
We dont need to know what happened that night anymore..! Stephen's no longer with us, so who are we to make comments on how he spent his night out, and why is that so important for us to know?!
Do we not have respect for the dead? Can we not allow the people that cared so much about him to grieve in peace?

By amanda. Posted October 25 2009 at 11:18 AM.

To all tose who are saying respect his family his husband and so on read the storybut most important look where this information came from his so called LOVING HUSBAND.

By Paul. Posted October 25 2009 at 11:11 AM.

Why on earth did Stephen marry this sleaze? How could anyone who claims to have loved someone so much tell a Sunday newspaper about their last hours. Thank God Stephen had his Boyzone friends and Louis. RIP Stephen.

By heather. Posted October 25 2009 at 10:55 AM.

I couldn't care less how much Stephen had drunk that evening and how much dope he had smoked, or whether he and Andrew had sex with Georgi or not - it's completely irrelevant as none of it had anything to do with Stephen's death!! It's already been established by a medical expert that he died from natural causes and that drink and drugs played NO part whatsoever in his death.

Just let him rest in peace and allow his family and Andrew their time to grieve in private.

By Laura. Posted October 25 2009 at 10:11 AM.

Leave alone. What gives anyone the right to question what goes on behind closed doors. The coroner said there was no suspicious circumstances so let it be. RIP Stephen x

By Lalo. Posted October 25 2009 at 10:43 AM.

So what Stephen like most young people had a few drinks and dabbled in substances he shouldn’t have, he was successful and happy in his life and should be allowed to rest in peace, its paedophiles like those killed baby P and sick teachers and clergy who take advantage of young children and their parents who are the real source of evil. Its not the first relationship either where third parties have been involved so ease up on them, one young man is dead and two young men who were there are now trying to live with it! Remember Andy refused to take any of Stephen’s money and last week gave all of it to Stephen’s parents and his charities, at least the guy has some morals.

By Marianna. Posted October 25 2009 at 10:38 AM.

Leave this poor lad rest in peace, whatever they got up to is their buisness, and should not be made available to public to smear his good name and fantastic reputation. Thoughts are with his poor husband, family and his many friends! RIP Steven :-)

Now now leave him be!

By Olibobs. Posted October 25 2009 at 9:53 AM.

What happend to Stephen Gately was tragic and shocking, But it was also, as stated in the papers " a death from natural causes" So why can't people just let him rest in peace and let his family and friends grieve in peace??!! He mite hav been a pop star but he was also a son,brother,husband and friend so his loved ones are entitled to grieve for him without opening a paper or turnin on the tele and seeing something else wrote about him. So what if he got drunk an smoked a joint it's not as if thousands of people dont do it every weekend!! People are trying to put it down to his lifestyle...what a load of bull!! The conclusion of the post mortem was natural causes so people should just deal with it! RIP Steo u were are hero to many and are missed always and forever XxX

By Anita, Dublin. Posted October 25 2009 at 9:08 AM.

Steo was HUMAN. We all do things in life that we dont expect to appear in the papers. Tragically steo died of natural causes. What more is needed to say. Please now let steo rest in peace and allow steo's husband, family, friends and fans to grieve the loss, without anymore stories.

By kelly o'hare. Posted October 25 2009 at 9:20 AM.

Since when is smoking marijuana and binge drinking equals death by natural causes. There was nothing NATURAL about that death.

Seems like Jan Moir wasn't wrong after all.

By Jimmy.. Posted October 25 2009 at 9:03 AM.

'Sleazy' springs to mind.

By Darren . Posted October 25 2009 at 8:52 AM.

Obviously "faithful" was not high on the agenda. RIP Stephen

By Jay. Posted October 25 2009 at 7:50 AM.

why can't people just leave this alone?. stephen died tragically and he will be missed by many people why not let his famly and friends and fans grieve in private, without unneccesary speculation. Stephen is loved and missed,that's all that matters. RIP steo.

By lucy. Posted October 25 2009 at 4:30 AM.

I HATE THIS WHY DO PEOPLE HAVE TO MAKE LIFE SO HARD FOR STEPHENS FAMILY NOW IT WILL ONLY BE MORE PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE MONEY BY DESTROYING STEPHENS GOOD NAME

By ANNE. Posted October 25 2009 at 4:26 AM.

Andrew@1:30am, No we don't have a right to know what went on in his private life. The coroner said his death was due to natural causes, that means that whtever he was doing taht night he would have died regardless. It seems to me that some people are just desperate to prove it was something sordid or sleazy just so they can justify their homophobic attitudes. What people seem to be forgetting is that his husband, his family and friends are still grieving and they should be allowed to grieve in peace, not have people muck-raking for the sake of scandal and tittle-tattle.

By Tanya. Posted October 25 2009 at 3:02 AM.

We have a right too know the truth! Let the paper write what it wants ...... if it was Gazza or George Michael you readers would be all over the story. It was a dodgy situation and we deserve to know the truth ... deal with it!

By Andrew. Posted October 25 2009 at 1:30 AM.

Let stephen rest in peace, i knew his family give them some time to come to terms with the lost of there beautiful son.
R.I.P STEPHEN YOU WILL BE SADLY MISSED ♥♥♥

By Ann Keogh. Posted October 25 2009 at 1:26 AM.

Let Stephen rest in peace and have some consideration to his husband, family, friends and bandmates. Can we really believe everything we read? Sleep well Stephen X

By Cathy. Posted October 25 2009 at 1:08 AM.

Why do his family, friends and fans need to know this? His family have been through enough. Let them grieve and give them peace!

By Gem. Posted October 25 2009 at 12:52 AM.

Does it really matter - how many of us go out and have a few glasses of wine - Such a sad passing with Stephen being so young - Let it go and leave his family in peace

By laura. Posted October 25 2009 at 12:50 AM.

The family are suffering enough without endless stories about what happened that night. Let Stephen rest in peace and let the family and friends grieve for their loved one.

By Jen. Posted October 25 2009 at 12:45 AM.

So he smoked some marijuana and had a bit to drink -so what! It's nothing that millions of people don't do so why do the papers manage to make it sound so seedy? He'd obviously had a great evening out with his husband and for that I'm really glad and then unfortunately died in his sleep from natural causes. RIP Stephen xx

By Kim. Posted October 25 2009 at 12:42 AM.

I really do think this should be left,no speculation, the he died so young and his family have enough to get through.

By lilly. Posted October 25 2009 at 12:35 AM.

Let the poor soul rest in peace

By Ladybird. Posted October 24 2009 at 10:33 PM.

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