Man found dead after work Christmas party (From Watford Observer)

Man found dead after work Christmas party

9:26am Friday 20th January 2006 in News

THE coroner for Hertfordshire has warned of the dangers of drinking alcohol when taking paracetamol, following the death of a 30-year-old man.

An inquest heard that Christopher Ashberry was found dead in his bedroom in The Phillipers, Watford, the morning after his work Christmas party last December.

A post mortem revealed he had a high level of alcohol in his blood, as well as an overdosed level of paracetamol and dextropropoxyphene.

Christopher's mother said he had been taking paracetamol because he was suffering from headaches. Dextropropoxyphene was a drug she had been prescribed in 2004, which was still in their medicine cabinet.

A toxicologist told the inquest: "The paracetamol present had been taken over a course of time, rather than all in one go. The combination of that with the alcohol and dextropropoxyphene was fatal."

Hertfordshire coroner Edward Thomas recorded a verdict of accidental death and said: "Christopher had headaches and had been taking paracetamol for them.

"He had a lot to drink at his work party and could have taken more paracetamol and the dextropropoxyphene when he got home.

"The combination of that with the alcohol he drank across the evening caused cardio respiratory failure.

"People must be careful if they drink alcohol when taking paracetamol. The best thing to do is not drink if you are taking it."