A FATHER-OF-FOUR who took a cocktail of alcohol and prescription drugs died four hours after falling over and hitting his head, an inquest heard.

David Giles, 33, was spotted on CCTV cameras injuring himself during a shopping trip on the afternoon of Saturday, August 20.

He was found by neighbours slumped over the top of his stairwell in London Road, Westcliff, about four hours later, at 7pm.

A toxicology report showed Mr Giles had three times the drink drive limit of alcohol in his blood - 240mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood - and a potentially fatal amount of prescription painkiller Tramadol.

Coroner Eleanor McGann ruled, however, that a bleed on the brain as a result fall had killed Mr Giles.

She said: “Falls can cause bleeds that are not immediately apparent. I do not know why he did fall, I just know that he did.

“A post-mortem examination was carried out and the provisional cause of death was given as acute subdural haematoma and a skull fracture.

“The toxicology report does not change that.

“He may have been drinking after the fall.

“David Giles died as a result of an accident.”