Stressed Clayton-le-Moors lecturer's overdose death

3:01pm Tuesday 6th May 2008

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A STRESSED university lecturer turned to drink and died after an overdose of painkillers, an inquest heard.

Colin Robinson, 49, of Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors, had only just started work at the University of Central Lancashire's department of social work.

But his family said that the stress of his new position led him to turn back to alcohol, a demon he had battled for a large part of his life.

He had been in his new job as a senior lecturer for just six weeks when he went off sick, telling bosses he had suffered a cycling accident.

An inquest into his death heard that the lecturer was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital on November 1 last year. He was later transferred to St James Hospital in Leeds where he underwent an emergency liver transplant but his condition continued to deteriorate and he died three months later.

The hearing was told that he had taken an overdose of paracetemol. And coroner Michael Singleton was told that years of alcohol abuse had compromised the ability of Mr Robinson's liver to deal with the overdose, leading to problems with other organs.

He died of multi-organ failure due to abdominal cirrhosis and liver transplant with a paracetamol overdose contributing.

Janice McKenzie told the inquest her brother had worked as a social worker before studying for his masters degree and starting work as a lecturer. She said he found the work very stressful and she felt that had contributed to him starting drinking again.

He had separated from his partner, Audrey Taylor, because of his drinking and had moved to live with his parents in Great Harwood, she said.

His father found him on his knees early one morning and he was clearly hallucinating. He initially said he had taken four tablets but his father thought there were at least 14 tablets missing, the inquest was told.

Mrs McKenzie said: "I don't think he had decided to commit suicide."

Speaking at the inquest Miss Taylor said they had separated because of his continued drinking but he had never said anything to make her think he would harm himself.

Dr Mervyn Davies, of St James University Hospital, Leeds, said Mr Robinson had been drinking three to five litres of wine a day and his liver function was already compromised when he took the overdose.

Coroner Mr Singleton recorded a narrative verdict which reflected the sequence of events leading to Mr Robinson's death.

After the inquest, a spokesperson for UCLan said: "Although Colin Robinson was only with us for a short time both staff and students were very saddened by this news and our thoughts are with his family.

"The university takes the welfare of its staff extremely seriously, including the provision of a confidential counselling service."

A spokesman for the University and College Union, which represents more than 120,000 academics and lecturers, said: "Stress is a major concern for staff in further and higher education. Rising workloads, poor management culture, excessive audit and inspection, job insecurity and poor facilities have all contributed to rising concern over stress and its causes."