Shock as inquest hears body was in house for six weeks (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Shock as inquest hears body was in house for six weeks

7:55pm Saturday 24th May 2008 in Swindon By Gazette Reporter

SHOCKED residents from a quiet Swindon cul-de-sac were horrified to learn of a decomposed body in a house in their street.

The man could have been dead in his home for up to six weeks, an inquest heard.

Swindon police found Alan Thompson at his semi-detached Tulip Tree Close home in Pinehurst.

He was discovered lying on his living room floor in July last year.

A 34-year-old mum-of-one, who did not want to be named, said: "The first we knew something was going on was when the police came to his house in the early hours of the morning.

"I'm very surprised and quite shocked.

"We didn't see him that much, but he did once help fix my husband's car.

"He seemed a nice man and we didn't have a problem with him."

Another resident said that he would sometimes speak to Mr Thomson over the garden fence, but didn't see much of him.

And another 65-year-old resident said: "I remember the neighbours talking about it last year. Apparently there were loads of bugs and flies in his house."

The body was so badly decomposed that his family were not asked to identify him, an inquest at the Civic Offices was told.

The 55-year-old had a history of excessive alcohol consumption and admitted to doctors he would drink a bottle of gin every three days.

He lost contact with his sister-in-law at the end of May and it was she who alerted the authorities.

Mr Thompson was declared dead at 1am on July 12 when police kicked in his front door.

Mr Thompson's identification was gained from his right thumb and fingers.

Assistant Wiltshire Coroner David Ridley said: "It was deemed not appropriate for the family to identify it and understandably so.

"The body was in a pretty poor state."

The coroner said that he was unable to establish the cause of death because of the state of the body.

He said it was impossible to take blood for toxicology testing.

He said: "It was unascertainable due to the advanced stage of decomposition."

Mr Ridley recorded an open verdict.