CCTV footage reveals drag queen's night out in city centre before death

HUNDREDS of hours of CCTV have helped police piece together the final movements of a drag queen who ended up dead beneath cardboard boxes in a city centre lane.

- ROBERT DALLING

(Darren Meah-Moore WALES NEWS SERVICE)

It revealed how Darren Meah-Moore previously engaged with two different men on the night, disappearing from view each time before reappearing, then failing to reappear after an encounter with a third man.

Darren Meah-Moore was found in a lane close to Windsor Place and Park Lane in Cardiff city centre on Sunday, January 22, 2023.

The first day of the inquest into his death heard how he was a well-known drag queen who had performed under the names CC Quinn, Crystal Coutoure and Dolly Diamond.

The 39-year-old, who lived in Newport, performed in venues across South Wales, England and abroad, with an act which would see him regularly tell jokes and funny stories, and perform songs by Tina Turner and Amy Winehouse.

CCTV footage and witness statements have shown Mr Meah-Moore entered the lane where he was later found dead with a man, who cannot be named due to a reporting restriction order made by the court.

The second day of the inquest heard evidence from the man who described a sexual encounter involving his pet dog.

South Wales Police detective superintendent Paul Raikes gave evidence on the third day of the inquest. He assumed senior investigating officer responsibility when coming on duty on the Monday, January 23.