Narrative verdict after man is found dead in bed

That's the finding of the Coroner of Inquests who concluded the inquest into the death of 61-year-old James Shimmin at Douglas Courthouse last week. 

 

Police were called to the home address of Mr Shimmin - who was known as Ralph - on Demesne Road just before 11am on August 19th. 

 

The unemployed salesman was found by a friend who'd gone to the flat to check on him - in the officer's report, which was read out in court, it stated that he looked 'malnourished and unkempt'. 

 

Numerous cuts and bruises were noted on Mr Shimmin's body - the friend, who'd last spoken to him three days earlier, told police he often fell over saying he was unsteady on his feet. 

 

She described him as being 'dependent on alcohol' saying he drank a bottle of vodka each day and 'hardly ate any food' - adding in the end he wasn't prepared to 'help himself'. 

 

Post-mortem results showed Mr Shimmin died as a result of the aspiration of his stomach contents into his lungs. 

 

Recording a narrative verdict Coroner John Needham said it was likely he'd suffered a fit before his death adding it was 'extremely difficult' to come to a conclusion as to when exactly he'd died. 

 

He told the court it was clear Mr Shimmin had vomited and then 'breathed that in' saying the evidence showed he wasn't 'looking after himself' and adding "it just shows how addictive alcohol is".