A soldier, who was taken hostage while serving in Bosnia, walked out on his wife following a row then swallowed a fatal cocktail of whisky and painkillers.

Dad Antony Griffiths, 29, of Avon Road, Abingdon, a staff sergeant based at Dalton Barracks, was enjoying a successful 12-year career in the Army and had been married to his wife Gillian for 12 years.

Oxford Coroner's Court heard yesterday (WED) that tragedy struck on February 2 after the dadMr Griffiths walked out on his wife after a huge bust-up.

Mrs Griffiths told the hearing that her husband had been drinking in the mess that afternoon and was moody when he returned home because she planned to go out with friends.

He then grabbed a sleeping bag, a bottle of Glenmorangie whisky and some painkillers and left the house. Her husband had done exactly the same thing before and she expected him to return the next day.

But when he failed to show up, she began to get worried and contacted her husband's friend, fellow soldier David Singleton.

After making inquiries, he searched a lock-up garage in Tyne Road, Abingdon, where he discovered Mr Griffiths lying dead on the back seat of a car.

Consultant pathologist Dr David Davies, told the court Mr Griffiths died as a result of the painkiller-alcohol combination. He had taken about 20 tablets. Mrs Griffiths said her husband began taking painkillers when he started to experience a numb sensation in his arm.

This upset him and he was also affected by his experience as a hostage in Bosnia. "That affected him mentally. He had nightmares and cold sweats," she said.

"He didn't receive any counselling and would give talks about his experience as a hostage to serving officers."

Mr Griffith's mother Gloria Smith, of Burnley, Lancashire, said her daughter telephoned her on the night of her son's death to say the couple had had a "final row in which they had tried to pull their wedding rings off."

Mr Griffith's widow, however, denied that they had been experiencing major problems and said her husband was enjoying his career in the Army.

Coroner Dorothy Flood said there was not sufficient evidence to indicate that the staff sergeant had committed suicide and recorded an open verdict.

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