Storekeeper Brian Stockford was found hanged from a stepladder a day after he was released from Banbury police station following his arrest for drink-driving.

One of the workmen demolishing an old building in Bridge Street, Banbury, discovered the 32-year-old, of Fleming Drive, Middle Barton, at about 8am on Tuesday, May 26, an inquest heard yesterday.

He was arrested on suspicion of driving a motorbike while unfit through drink or drugs at Hopcrofts Holt Hotel, Steeple Aston, at 12.43am the day before, after an incident between him and his wife Kim Stockford, of The Crescent, Steeple Aston, who had recently left him.

Mr Stockford was taken to Banbury police station where the lower of two tests showed he had 91 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Sgt Dick Auger, who released him from custody just after 5.30am, told the Oxford inquest in written evidence: "He said 'All I want to do is go home and see my wife and kids'.

"He spent a lot of time in the exercise yard so he could smoke his cigarettes. "It was obvious he was preoccupied with his wife and kids and the state of the marriage.

"As he left I said 'I hope things work out with your family'. He replied 'I have already lost them mate'."

Pc Thomas Brooks gave him a breath test before he left the station before he could give him the keys to his bike.

Mr Stockford was just over the limit so he was told to go and get a coffee in the town and come back half an hour later when he would be fit to take them.

Mrs Stockford, who received a call from her husband when she was working at the hotel on Sunday night, said: "He seemed drunk. He wanted to see me at the hotel that night. I said that he couldn't. He got extremely abusive.

"He turned up at the hotel just before 12am. He seemed more angry than distressed."

Dr Godman Greywoode, a consultant pathologist at the Horton Hospital, Banbury, told the hearing that Mr Stockford died as a result of hanging. There was still alcohol in his blood.

The Oxfordshire Coroner, Nicholas Gardiner, recorded a verdict that he took his own life.

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