A RETIRED publican fell from a pier in Gibraltar and drowned after a drinking session.
John Leonard, 58, of Lilac Avenue, Thornaby, Teesside, was on a deep sea diving holiday to the enclave when the tragedy happened on August 6, 2000.
The grandfather-of-five was walking along the mooring pier at Marina Bay where he and his wife Maureen kept their boat, Mojo, when he fell into the water.
A post-mortem examination revealed that Mr Leonard, for many years a licensee in east Cleveland, had drank the equivalent of six pints of beer or a third of a bottle of whisky
An inquest into his death in Gibraltar delivered a verdict of misadventure.
Yesterday, the same verdict was recorded by Teesside coroner Michael Sheffield at a second inquest in Middlesbrough. He said that, by law, an inquest had to be held in this country because Mr Leonard's body had been brought back to the UK for his funeral.
Mr Leonard's wife now lives permanently in Gibraltar
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article