Alcoholic drowned in bath

But an inquest heard that exhaustive police inquiries had ruled out foul play, despite a deep cut on Darren Mark Shaw's scalp, which had bled profusely.

Mr Shaw, 38, lived on his own at a flat in Holden Fold and detective inspector Robert Eastwood told the inquest there were no signs of forced entry to the property. He said that after an extensive police investigation he was entirely satisfied there was no third party involvement.

Inspector Eastwood said that one explanation for the cut on Mr Shaw's head was a jagged piece of mirror which was leaning at the back of the wash basin.

"It is entirely possible he has cut his scalp as he has gone down to wash his face," said Inspector Eastwood. "It is only a theory but it is the most likely explanation."

The dead man's fiancee, Susan Jones, told how she went round to his house on October 20 after he failed to turn up at her home by 10.30am. Mrs Jones went to the flat in Holden Fold and let herself in. When she went into the bathroom Mrs Jones found Mr Shaw kneeling on the floor with his head and shoulders in the bath. Water, which was coloured with blood, was running out of the overflow and the hot water tap was still running. She said the water in the bath was still hot and there were scald marks on Mr Shaw's upper body.

After dragging Mr Shaw from the bath Mrs Jones raised the alarm. She said there was nothing in the flat to suggest there had been any kind of a struggle.

The medical cause of death was given as drowning and coroner Michael Singleton said there was nothing to suggest that Mr Shaw had intended to take his own life. Recording a verdict of accidental death he said it was more likely that Mr Shaw, an alcoholic, had fallen into the bath either as a result of his acute alcoholism or as a result of cutting his head on a mirror or similar sharp object.

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