Man died after ingesting corrosive substance
A PSYCHOSIS sufferer died from ‘significant gullet and windpipe’ injuries after ‘appearing to have ingested something corrosive’, an inquest heard.
Stephen Cairney, formerly of Eccles Street, Accrington, passed away at the Royal Preston Hospital critical care unit on December 4.
Opening an inquest into his death on Monday at Preston Coroners Court, area coroner James Newman said there was ‘no preliminary evidence of assault or trauma’.
The hearing heard how Mr Cairney, 27, had travelled to Lancaster and spent time with his uncle before ‘befriending two other known drug dealers and agreeing to stay with them’.
Mr Newman said the men described Mr Cairney as ‘very quiet’ and during the period they were with him he ‘didn’t drink or take any drugs’.
The inquest heard that the men had ‘no issues with him’ until October 30 when they described him as ‘freaking out’.
Mr Cairney was reported to police after allegedly ‘threatening them’ and they ‘ejected him from their premises’.
The coroner said Mr Cairney was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and taken into custody.
However, when it became ‘obvious he was very ill’ he was quickly transferred to Royal Lancaster Infirmary and sedated.
Two weeks later Mr Cairney ‘suddenly coughed up’ approximately half a litre of blood and was transferred to Royal Preston Hospital two days later.
Mr Newman said his condition continued to deteriorate and he passed away.
He said: “It is reported that he appeared to have ingested something corrosive.
“Police state that he was known to suffer from psychosis and that there were corrosive substances contained within the premises where he was staying.
“A Home Office post-mortem has been carried out under our authority.
“The full post-mortem report is still to be received, however the preliminary findings of that examination were that there had been an ingestion of caustic substances which had led to significant damage to the gullet and windpipe and that had led to bleeding.
“It was reported that there was no preliminary evidence of assault or trauma to Stephen Cairney.”
The inquest was adjourned for a substantive hearing before Mr Newman on April 14 next year.
Mr Cairney was due to appear at Burnley Crown Court on Thursday, December 19, after a warrant was issued for his arrest for allegedly breaching the terms of his suspended sentence.
However the court heard that he had been in intensive care following an incident in November and ‘unfortunately didn’t survive his injuries’.
Lancashire Police said they are ‘assisting the coroner’ and no arrests have been made in connection with Mr Cairney’s death.