Karl (38) found dead on sofa

THE Coroner’s Court was told that 38-year-old father, Karl Smith, was found dead on his sofa at 39 Thornbrook, The Ballagh, by his neighbour and friend Gary O’Connell, who had been drinking with him the night before.

Garda Madeline Holmes from Enniscorthy Garda Station gave evidence of arriving at the scene on November 4 last. Mr O’Connell officially identified Mr Smith’s body.

In a deposition from Mr O’Connell, read aloud by Inspector Sean Clince, he stated that he had arrived at the deceased’s house the night before.

He said that they drank cans of beer and Mr Smith drank some vodka and both men also took tablets. Mr O’Connell said that in the early hours of the morning, Mr Smith fell asleep on the couch and he left him and went home.

The next day, at 2 p.m., he called into Mr Smith and found him in the same position on the couch. ‘He was my best friend,’ Mr O’Connell’s deposition said.

Consultant Pathologist Dr Christine Shilling said that Mr Smith had an underlying heart condition and that death was caused by a depression of the central nervous system as a result of ingesting toxic amounts of alcohol, combined with alprazolam.

Coroner Dr Sean Nixon recommended that the jury return a verdict of death by misadventure and they agreed.

Dr Nixon said that he had been speaking to Mr Smith’s mother and wished to express his sympathies, as did the gardaí and jury.