Blackpool man died of alcohol poisoning due to undetected liver disease

Roger Nimmo, of Highfield Road, went into cardiac arrest after drinking a moderate amount of alcohol. CPR was attempted, but he was confirmed dead at 7:55pm on July 16, 2022.

An inquest at Blackpool Town Hall heard that Roger, a plasterer, had an un-diagnosed condition called Fatty Liver Disease (Hepatic Steatosis) – a buildup of fat inside the liver cells which makes it harder to rid the body of toxins. It’s hard to diagnose as there are often no symptoms, but it’s often linked to lifestyle factors such as heavy drinking.

Dr Suboda Weerasinghe, who carried out the post-mortem at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, said: “The blood alcohol level was not at a level that would normally be considered fatal, but as the liver was not working as effectively due to fatty change it was unable to do the job of removing toxins from the body.”