Alcoholic's death 'probably drugs' (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Alcoholic's death 'probably drugs'

A FORMER soldier has been found dead at a derelict house in Swindon.

The body of alcoholic Colin Edmonds was found at an address in Okus Road in Old Town.

Police believe the 40-year-old's death was drug-related.

Officers are making inquiries into the circumstances in which he died and a post mortem is due to be carried out today.

His body was discovered a week ago today.

Swindon police spokeswoman Alvina Kumar said: "Mr Edmonds was found dead at an address in Okus Road.The coroner has been informed and inquiries continue into the death, which is believed to be drugs related."

Mr Edmonds died days before he was due to appear at Swindon Crown Court in connection with a fight which broke out among a group of drunks in May last year.

Earlier this year, he escaped a prison sentence after promising magistrates he had given up the booze.

But minutes later after leaving the court, the Advertiser photographed him downing a can of Special Brew lager.

Then he was handed an 18-month community rehabilitation order after pleading guilty to causing fear of violence and carrying a knife.

He also admitted three charges of shoplifting and two counts of failure to surrender to the courts.

At the time his solicitor Rob Ross said his client had spend the time in custody for the offences sobering up for the first time in a long period.

Mr Edmonds left the army in 1992 on medical grounds and began drinking.

He had a long history of offences for criminal damage dating back to 1983.

Mr Edmonds had been due to appear in court again this week as a co-defendant with two others following a scrap outside the old Post Office in Fleming Way on May 22 last year.

Anthony Osborne