A FACTORY worker from Basingstoke was found dead at his home after a long battle with alcohol addiction, an inquest has heard.

Kuldip Singh was diagnosed with excessive drinking by his GP in 2009 and "all efforts" were made to "help him give up alcohol, which in his own words was killing him", area coroner Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp told Basingstoke Coroners' Court on Monday.

A safeguarding report was made for the 49-year-old just weeks before his death after concerns were raised by his support worker that he was "in self-destruct mode".

The court heard that his condition had deteriorated in recent months.

According to Charlie Wood, who had worked with Mr Singh for around three years as a lead peer mentor at social enterprise Outcome Home, "he found it too difficult" to give up drinking.

He said in his statement: "I was seeing Kuldip two or three times a week. The main issue was trying to help him address his alcoholism.

"He had been battling with addiction for about nine years. He was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis [scarring of the liver], and he really loved drinking whiskey.

"We restricted him to beer or cider and two cans a day. He was in self-destruct mode. I would take him to Alcoholics Anonymous but he would not talk.

"I would take him to inclusions but he would walk out. Kuldip, despite my best efforts, was not willing to work on his issues."

Mr Singh, who passed away on February 25, was found by friend Andrew Rodgers, who lived with him in a supported accommodation block in Cheviot Close.

Singh was lying on his bed, and when Rodgers entered the room in the afternoon, he raised the alarm by asking building contractor Paul Brown to check on him.

In a written statement read to the court, Mr Brown said: "I knew something wasn’t right. I noticed the man had dry blood around his nose and mouth. But to me he was dead."

An ambulance was called, and pronounced Mr Singh dead, before police were called to the scene.

Mr Rodgers was "very upset" to hear of his friend's passing, whilst Mr Wood said: "I was numb, but I had been expecting it as he was unwell for a long time."

Mr Singh, originally from India, had been married to Tina for three years, having both worked at the chicken ranch in Basingstoke.

She told the court in a statement that in the early 2000s, he had been in the country illegally and was in the process of deportation, but that they were soon married and he was allowed to stay.

"We got married in 2001 and went to India briefly. Kuldip was drinking alcohol almost every day, staying out late at night.

"Following our separation I still continued to see Kuldip on a regular basis, but this did not work out because of his drinking."

Summarising, Ms Rhodes-Kemp said that Mr Singh was "not willing to engage with support services in any shape or form".

"All efforts have been made to help him give up alcohol which in his own words was killing him."

She added that because of a high level of decomposition of his body, a cause of death was unable to be ascertained, and that she was unable to rule out other cause.

"Although I suspect that the level of alcohol in his blood has something to do with his death, I am not able to do so with any certainty."

She returned an open conclusion.

Ms Rhodes-Kemp added: "I am very sorry that Mr Singh died the way he did and my condolences to the family, even though they weren’t able to attend today."

  • If you are concerned about alcohol addiction, you can speak to your GP or call Alcoholics Anonymous on 0800 9177 650.