Reg. Charity No.1117509
The Matthew Fulham Foundation
Matthew Fulham
Matthew travelled with his family to Sharm El Sheikh on 17/07/2005, they flew from Gatwick Airport on 17/07/2005, stayed at The Ghazala Gardens Hotel and were due to return on 01/08/2005. The holiday was booked on the internet through a company called Panorama.
The Ghazala Gardens Hotel guest list shows Matthew Fulham was booked in from 17/07/2005 until 31/07/2005.
On Saturday 23rd July 2005 between 0100 hours and 0130 hours a series of three explosions occurred in Sharm El Sheikh.
The first explosion occurred in The Old Market in the Sharm El Maya district. A suicide bomber detonated a large vehicle borne device at this location. The device was detonated in the middle of the main road through this area, causing extensive damage.
The second explosion occurred at the Ghazala Gardens Hotel. An explosive device carried on a pickup vehicle was driven through the glass frontage of the hotel foyer; the vehicle came to a stop when it impacted with the central stairway. The occupant of the vehicle then detonated the explosive device whilst he was sat inside the vehicle. The bomb destroyed the front of the hotel and the blast penetrated well into the back of the complex.
The third explosion was at the main taxi rank in Na’ama bay, this device is believed by the Egyptian authorities to have been packed in a bag, left at the taxi rank.
At the time of the explosions Matthew was not with his family, he had gone out with a group of friends of a similar age as himself, who he had met on the holiday. Following the explosion Matthew’s father Peter searched for him, but could not find him.
It is believed that Matthew died as a result of the second explosion at the Ghazala Gardens Hotel. Witnesses who spoke with survivor Georgina Lloyd, state Georgina informed them that she was with him in the hotel grounds at the time of the explosion. Georgina Lloyd feels unable to make a statement about what happened, due to the traumatic nature of the incident.
Initial recovery and removal of bodies from the bombsites was completed by the Egyptian authorities. There is no documented continuity for the bodies removed from the sites.
Police officers attended El Tur Mortuary. From a photograph and from the description
given by Matthew’s father on the ante mortem DVI form Matthew was identified as being
at that mortuary. The identifying features that assisted this potential match were:
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1) Build, height and age consistent with description
2) Teeth consistent with description
3) Yellow rubber wrist band with “I Believe” present on left wrist
4) Feet with high instep as described
5) Wearing a T-
Primary Identification was made from dental records.
Matthew was positively identified by the forensic odontologist from his dental records.
Mr Peter Fulham gave a detailed description of moles on Matthew’s feet and back. DC Bidmead observed Matthew’s body to have moles and a birthmark in the locations described by Mr Fulham.
The ID Commission made the following comparisons:-
Dental records, general body configuration, age, wearing T-
in-
The ID commission issued a Certificate of Identification based on: -
Primary Identification -
2) DNA comparison with parental DNA
Secondary Identification -
2) Birthmark
3) High instep
Following the decision of the Identification Commission Matthew was repatriated to the UK.
DNA mouth swab samples from Peter Fulham and Julie Fulham were forwarded to the Forensic Science Laboratory, for DNA comparison to blood and bone samples taken from Matthew’s body during post mortem.
The analysis showed that the DNA profile obtained is 1 billion times more likely to originate from a natural son of Peter and Julie Fulham, rather than an unknown male unrelated to them.
It is the opinion of the Senior Forensic Scientist that the DNA profiling results provide extremely strong support for the view that the blood and bone samples are from the natural son of Peter and Julie Fulham.
Fingerprint lifts were recovered from Matthew’s bedroom. These were matched to fingerprints from Matthew during the post mortem.
Statements have been obtained from British people who witnessed the events in
Sharm El Sheikh. The details in those statements which refer to Matthew are as follows:-
Mr Martin Barber was on holiday at the Ghazala Gardens Hotel with his wife Vanessa Barber. He describes meeting Matt who was on holiday with his parents. He states that Matt made friends with several of the other young people who were also staying at the hotel. He stated that at the time of the explosion all the teenagers had been together.
Cara Stafford was staying at Ghazala Gardens Hotel with her family. She describes seeing the car inside the hotel lobby. She saw three lads running towards the lobby from the direction of her accommodation. She describes them as around 17 years old, one with blonde hair, one having dark skin and the third being very tall and skinny.
Paula Atkinson an employee of the travel company My Travel, states she attended Sharm
International Hospital immediately after the incident. She spoke to Georgina Lloyd
at the hospital, Georgina told her that she had been with Matt, Hannah and Charith
on the footbridge of the Ghazala Gardens swimming-
Sarah Brown an employee of the travel company My Travel, states she attended Sharm international Hospital after the incident. She spoke to Heidi Lloyd at the hospital. Heidi told her that Georgina had said that she and Hannah had been with Charith and Matt by the pool bridge, they heard a loud bang from the reception area, both boys ran in front, then there was an explosion.
The evidence collated by the Police in order to prove that Matthew Fulham died as
a result of the Sharm El Sheikh bombings is as follows: -
- Independent witness Martin Barber, has made a statement in which he describes meeting Matthew at the Ghazala Gardens Hotel.
2) The fatal injuries to his body are, in the opinion of the Post Mortem Team consistent with blast injuries. This evidence indicates he was in close proximity to one of the explosions at the time of the blast, and this was the cause of his death.
3) Ghazala Gardens Hotel Guest List shows Matthew was booked in as a resident at the time of the explosion
4) DNA comparison with profiles from Matthew’s father and mother, provides extremely strong scientific support that the body found is that of their natural son.
5) Fingerprint lifts taken from Matthew’s bedroom, have been matched to fingerprint impressions taken during the post mortem.
6) Dental Records have been compared and matched.
Matthew’s
Pre Inquest Report
