A HOMELESS man found hanging by a telephone chord while slumped in a St Peter's Street phone box accidentally died while “crying out for help”, a coroner has ruled.

Andrew Pereira, who had a dependency on alcohol struggled to pull his life together after separating from his wife in Abbots Langley where they lived together, an inquest heard today.

The 42-year-old, who turned to alcohol, had been referred to Open Door in Bricket Road, St Albans, from a housing shelter in Watford more than a year ago.

Attempts were made by doctors at the Hertfordshire Partnership Trust to put Mr Pereira on a detox programme but his persistent drinking made it almost impossible for them to help.

Giving evidence today Claire Stephens, of the Watford and Bushey community mental health team, said there had been occasions where they had to refuse 42-year-old treatment.

On July 23 last year Mr Pereira was turned away from the St Albans homeless shelter for being too drunk.

Alison Stapleton, service manager for the Hightown Praetorian and Churches Housing Association which manages the shelter, told the inquest today how Mr Periera knew of the rules regarding alcohol.

“On July 9 there was concern because he appeared to be unsteady on his feet but we gave him access to the service because we thought we would manage”, she said.

However Ms Stapleton said on the day he died staff were forced to refuse Mr Pereira entry.

She added: “He came at 5.30pm to the pick up point after which we would transport everyone our temporary location.

“He appeared under the influence of alcohol and the advice we gave him was to come back tomorrow. He said he was going to book himself into a bed and breakfast.”

Less than half-an-hour later Mr Pereira made the 999 call himself from the St Peter's street phone box telling the call centre he was going to kill himself. The levels of alcohol in his blood and urine were four times over the legal drink driving limit.

Paramedic Jerry Almassy-Wade who attended the call at 5.53pm said he was found kneeling in the phone box with the telephone chord wrapped around his neck.

Following attempts to resuscitate him Mr Pereira was pronounced dead at the scene.

In a statement read out in court his widow Sharon Pereira told how her estranged husband would drink excessive amounts of alcohol and overdose on his medicine as a cry for help.

She said: “He was very troubled. The flat he stayed in was repossessed leaving him homeless.

“He didn't mean to self harm, it was a cry for help.”

Mr Thomas said Mrs Pereira, who was unable to attend the inquest today, believed her husband did not intend to kill himself but that he just wanted someone to answer to his cry for help.

Recording the death as accidental Mr Thomas told the court: “He was a troubled man who had a lot of problems.

“The relationship between him and his wife was difficult because they were separated.

“I am positive that he did not deliberately mean to take his life. With the amount of alcohol he had in his system and the chord around his neck any movement is life threatening.

“He was kneeling which blocked the respiratory system. Mr Pereira called the ambulance himself – this was to draw attention to his plight because if he had intended to take his own life why call an ambulance?”

The cause of death was recorded as a vasovagal attack contributed by the strain to his neck.