Man drowns after drinking five pints

Jan 10 2008 by Emma Davison, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A man drowned when he fell into a canal after enjoying a night out in a pub, an inquest heard.

David Atkinson, 59, lost his footing as he walked along the towpath following a night drinking at the Perseverance Pub at Thornhill Lees in Dewsbury.

His body was later found floating in the canal by a passer-by.

Yesterday’s inquest, held in Huddersfield revealed that Mr Atkinson, of Ravensthorpe, had enjoyed a night out at the pub, drinking and singing karaoke.

He left the pub at about 9pm and walked along the canal towpath, where he lost his balance and fell into the water.

A post-mortem revealed that unemployed Mr Thornton had blood alcohol levels equivalent to having drunk about five pints of beer and that he died soon after consuming his last drink.

In a statement David Wilkinson said he was also in the pub on the evening of August 14 when he saw Mr Atkinson singing on the karaoke. He also said Mr Atkinson won a bottle of alcohol in a raffle.

Mr Wilkinson said he was next aware of him at 9pm when he saw him outside the pub collecting a ladies’ pink bike which he started to walk along the canal path with.

A statement was also submitted by Lee Bennett, who found Mr Atkinson’s body six days later as he walked along the towpath in the direction of Ravensthorpe.

He said that as he reached the bridge off Forge Lane, which is near to the Perseverance Pub, he noticed a body in the canal.

He called the police but Mr Atkinson was pronounced dead at Dewsbury District Hospital.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Huddersfield coroner Roger Whittaker said that it was clear from the evidence that Mr Atkinson, of Spen Valley Road, died on the night that he had been at the pub.

He added: “I am satisfied that he stumbled into the canal and sadly drowned. This is an accidental death.”