Barrister died in fall down spiral staircase (From The Oxford Times)

Barrister died in fall down spiral staircase

9:40am Friday 15th June 2012 in News

A barrister was killed in an accidental fall on a spiral staircase at his home, a coroner has ruled.

Alasdair Brough was suffering from alcoholism when he died at home in Market Street, Woodstock.

The 56-year-old lawyer, who became a barrister in 1979, was almost four times the drink-drive limit at the time of his death on January 8.

Friend Michael Henman said he had known Mr Brough for 16 years and had helped him deal with “depression and addiction” for half that time.

He said he last saw Mr Brough, who worked for No 5 Chambers which has offices in London, Birmingham and Bristol, the day before his death.

He noted he was “very drunk and had a yellow-grey pallor about him”.

In a statement to the inquest at Oxford’s Old County Hall on Wednesday, pathologist Dr Eve Fryer gave the cause of death as a spinal fracture and alcohol intoxication.

Coroner Darren Salter said: “This is a straight-forward case for an accidental verdict, pure and simple.

“Nevertheless, it is tragic and very sad.”