Man found covered in blood in Kettering probably died after suffering fall, coroner rules

A chronic alcoholic found by his neighbour covered in blood may have suffered a fatal fall, an inquest has heard.
Kettering Council offices where the inquest was heldKettering Council offices where the inquest was held
Kettering Council offices where the inquest was held

John McNab, 55, died three days after being admitted to KGH with a traumatic head injury in the evening of July 21 last year.

An inquest in Kettering heard that Mr McNab was found covered in blood in the doorway of his house in Woodlands Court in Wood Street, Kettering.

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He later died of his injuries and a post-mortem examination found that he had so much alcohol in his system that he would have been more than five times the drink-drive limit.

Neighbour Anya Benford, who found Mr McNab, told the inquest he had refused to tell her how he sustained the injuries.

She said: “As I was about to turn the corner I saw two feet sticking out of the door.

“He was covered in blood.

“There was a large pool of blood 3 or 4m from him and a couple of spots on the floor inside.

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“I asked him [how he sustained the injuries] but he would not tell me.

“He told me he wanted to die at home and not in a hospital.”

Miss Benford added that Mr McNab had told her he had ordered 2kg of cannabis and had thousands of pounds stuffed down the back of his fridge.

But a carer told the inquest that Mr McNab would often exaggerate and this may not have been true.

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Mr McNab, who also had hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis and jaundice as a result of alcohol abuse, left two brothers and four sisters.

Senior coroner for Northamptonshire Anne Pember ruled that it was likely that Mr McNab had fallen over.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, she said: “I am satisfied that there was nothing suspicious [about Mr McNab’s death].

“I believe that he probably had a fall while he was intoxicated.”