A DAD hanged himself on his birthday after drinking so much alcohol that his judgement was likely to have been affected. Nallathamby Jeyarasasingham, of Park Avenue, Barking, had turned 68 when his daughter and the ambulance found him hanging from a bani

A DAD hanged himself on his birthday after drinking so much alcohol that his judgement was likely to have been affected.

Nallathamby Jeyarasasingham, of Park Avenue, Barking, had turned 68 when his daughter and the ambulance found him hanging from a banister at his home on March 20 this year.

His daughter, Vijayah Ratnaseluam, who gave evidence at Walthamstow Coroners Court last Thursday, said she had only spoken to her father a few days before his death.

She said he had moved out of the family home some months earlier and was living in Park Avenue at that time.

Ms Ratnaseluam said: "My mother was calling since the morning but he never picked up.

"That's why I went to the address.

"When I looked through the letter box I could see his trousers but not his legs.

"I thought he was drunk. I stood back and called Dad a few times but he did not open the door.

"I got scared and called 999."

The ambulance arrived before police did at around 1pm and managed to enter the securely locked house.

Mr Jeyarasasingham was found hanging from the banister.

PC Hussein, of Dagenham Police Station, who attended the scene, said he was hanging from some sort of towelling or bed sheets.

Ambulance workers confirmed that he was dead and a police doctor formally declared his life extinct at 2.51pm

Mr Jeyarasasingham had left no suicide note and no alcohol or drugs were in sight.

A report from the family doctor stated that there were no suggestions of self harm, suicidal intentions or underlying mental health problems.

A post mortem examination, carried out by Dr Peter Tanner, gave the cause of death as hanging.

Toxicology tests carried out by Susan Patterson at the Imperial College London found an alcohol level of 242 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, which is three times the legal driving limit of 80 milligrammes.

His urine contained 260 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of urine which is over twice the legally prescribed limit of 107 milligrammes.

Coroner Dr William Dolman said: "His alcohol levels were so high that his judgement would have been affected.

"He could not have formulated an intention if he had wanted to."

He added: "CID were involved and were satisfied that there were no suspicious circumstances and that no one else was involved in the death."

He said he was certain that Mr Jeyarasasingham undertook the act himself but was not certain that he had intended to do it.

Coroner Dr William Dolman said: "He died as a result of hanging and I bring in a verdict of open verdict."

He told Ms Ratnaseluam: "In the sad circumstances, particularly in the way of the fact that it was on his birthday and that you had the tragic sight, I hope that you can put that memory out of your mind.