THE family of a newlywed who plunged to his death from a balcony in Dubai have spoken of their devastation after he was ruled to have committed suicide.
Elwood McIlwraith, 29, had been out for a few drinks on Saturday night and returned to his flat with wife Susie.
After Susie had gone to bed he fell from the 22nd floor of the Laguna Tower.
Elwood, originally from Hull, moved to Dubai two years ago to work as a fitness instructor.
An inquest in Dubai returned a verdict of suicide, which reflected the findings of the police.
But Elwood's dad Charles McIlwraith, of Anlaby Road, west Hull, insists his son had everything to live for and there was no reason he would take his own life.
"I feel this verdict just isn't true," said Charles.
"There are nets over the balconies but these weren't removed. If he wanted to kill himself he would surely have removed the net. We are convinced it was an accident."
Charles, 54, believes there was nothing to suggest his son was depressed.
He said: "Elwood only got married eight weeks ago. He was talking about starting a family and joking that I would be a grandad.
"He was also looking to come back home in the next few weeks to visit.
"He was over the moon with his marriage and had big plans."
The verdict also means the family will receive no insurance money.
"It will cost us £5,000 to have Elwood's body returned," said Charles.
"It is like an amalgamation of problems for us. It has been extremely difficult as it is."
Elwood was born in Scotland but his family came back to Hull when he was five years old.
He went to Westcott Primary School and then Malet Lambert.
Elwood worked for a tyre firm in Clough Road and at bars in the city centre before joining the Royal Navy, aged 21.
He remained in the military for five years and served in the Gulf for nine months in 2005.
Charles said: "Elwood was well-loved and got on with everyone. He was very hardworking and such a nice person. I will miss his smile."
Elwood trained in Alicante in Spain before moving to Dubai to work as a fitness coach at Smart Fitness, in Jumeirah Lakes Towers.
A spokesman for Dubai Police said Elwood had been drinking throughout Friday.
He said: "After 10pm, they went to a nightclub until midnight, when they returned home. He was totally drunk before the incident and we think he committed suicide."
The spokesman said forensic and post mortem reports showed there were no suspicious circumstances.
The family understand it is standard procedure in Dubai to return a verdict of suicide if someone has alcohol in their bloodstream. But colleagues at the Smart Fitness gym say they believe it could only be a tragic accident as he was "deliriously happy" with his work and personal life.
In a statement, the company said: "On Saturday, we lost a very special member of the Smart Fitness family. Elwood was a founder trainer who played a big part in helping make Smart Fitness what it is today.
"He brought tremendous energy and warmth to the gym and his genuine kindness made everyone feel comfortable irrespective of their fitness level."
The family hope to bring Elwood's body back to the UK next week.
