Spanish judge closes case on death of Stephen Gately

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A Spanish court ruled yesterday that gay Boyzone star Stephen Gately died from natural causes, rather than drugs or alcohol.

A forensic report released last month confirmed he had died from an undiagnosed heart condition which led to fluid on the lungs.

Judge Carmen Abrines closed the case yesterday three months after the 33-year-old star died while on holiday in Majorca.

Gately was found to have drunk heavily and smoked cannabis on the night he died but Abrines wrote: “I have concluded that the death was due to natural causes.”

She added that there had been no signs of violence at any point during the investigation into his death and said he had been dead for around eight hours before his civil partner Andrew Cowles found his body.

The remaining members of Boyzone are to release their first single and album since his death.

Gave It All Away will be released on March 1st, with an album titled Brother following a week later.

The single’s video shows the other band members reminiscing about their “brother”.