Acid drink killed Hockney aide, coroner rules

Dominic Elliott, 23, died after drinking a household drain cleaner made up of concentrated sulphuric acid at the painter’s home in the East Yorkshire resort, in March.

A two-day inquest has heard how Mr Elliott drank the liquid, which caused serious damage to his mouth and throat before perforating his stomach, after “partying” with his partner John Fitzherbert and taking drugs including cocaine and ecstasy as well as alcohol and cannabis.

Mr Fitzherbert, 48, was Hockney’s long-term partner for 20 years and still lives at the artist’s home and runs his domestic affairs.

After the verdict, Humberside Police confirmed an investigation is continuing into possible drugs offences following Mr Elliott’s death.

A spokesman said a 48-year-old man and a 23-year-old man who were arrested on suspicion of drugs offences remained on bail as inquiries continued.

He said no one had been charged.

The East Yorkshire coroner, Professor Paul Marks, said there was “not a shred of evidence Dominic intended to take his own life”.

He also ruled that there were no suspicious circumstances or any “third party” involvement in the death.

Prof Marks said he was recording a verdict of misadventure on the basis that Mr Elliott took the substances he did in the expectation that there was a risk involved.

The inquest at Hull Coroners Court heard how Dominic died in the early hours of Sunday March 17 after Mr Fitzherbert took him to hospital in Scarborough.

The coroner was told that Hockney was asleep in his room at the time.

Professor Marks said that on the Friday night Mr Elliott and Mr Fitzherbert were “partying” and taking drugs including cocaine and ecstasy before going to bed together.

The court heard how at noon on the Saturday Mr Elliott leaped out of Mr Fitzherbert’s bed and dived head first over an internal 10ft high balcony but did not appear to be hurt.

Mr Fitzherbert told the court how in the early hours of the following morning he was woken by Mr Elliott who asked him to take him to hospital.

In his evidence, he insisted he did not realise at the time what Mr Elliott had done to himself.

The coroner said it was one of the “enigmas” of the case that Mr Elliott appeared not to be showing any signs of pain despite a pathologist saying the ingestion of the acid would have caused extreme agony.

Prof Marks said it was possible the drugs Mr Elliott had taken lessened the pain.

By the time Mr Elliott got to Scarborough Hospital he was completely unresponsive.

Earlier today Detective Sergeant Thomas Napier, who compiled the file on the death for Humberside Police, told the coroner: “It does remain a mystery - for an intelligent young man to drink such a noxious substance.”

Hockney’s chief assistant, Jean Pierre Goncalves De Lima, told the inquest he received a phone call from Mr Fitzherbert after Mr Elliott’s death, asking him to clear his room of “any evidence of drug use”.

Mr Goncalves De Lima said he did clear Mr Fitzherbert’s room but later told police what he had done.

Asked why, he said Hockney had suffered a mini-stroke last year and he was worried about the effect of this kind of “exposure” on his boss’s health.

Mr Goncalves De Lima said he was aware of some drug use in the house but added that Hockney was not aware of this.

Later, in his conclusion, the coroner said he believed Hockney was unaware some of the occupants of his home were abusing illegal drugs.

The inquest has shone a spotlight on the arrangements at Hockney’s five-bedroom home near the Bridlington seafront, which he converted from a guest house more than a decade ago.

Hockney shares the property with three other men, including Mr Fitzherbert, who was his companion for two decades until they split up about four years ago.

The coroner was told the pair remain very amicable and, although they live separate lives, Mr Fitzherbert has a room in the house and organises the domestic side of Hockney’s life.

The two men have large rooms at either side of the house. Hockney uses his for painting portraits as well as sleeping and, the inquest heard, historian Susan Neave was sitting for him on the Friday before Mr Elliott’s death.

A police officer who searched Mr Fitzherbert ‘s room said there was a large portrait of Mr Elliott on the wall.

Mr Goncalves De Lima has a self-contained flat on the ground floor. He said he was in charge of the artistic side of Hockney’s life, especially his studio in the house and his larger studio in another part of Bridlington.

A fourth man, Jonathan Wilkinson, also has a room in the house but only lives there from Monday to Friday.

Mr Goncalves De Lima said Hockney has not been in good health since his mini-stroke and is also 99% deaf without his hearing aids. He said his boss usually goes to bed very early.

Mr Elliott lived in a different part of the town.

Mr Goncalves De Lima said Mr Elliott and another of Hockney’s helpers, Mark Shephard, competed for Mr Fitzherbert’s attention and he would buy them substantial presents, including cars and designer clothes.

The court heard that Mr Elliott suffered bouts of depression and was deeply affected by the death of his twin sister at birth and his father, when he was 11. He also had some financial problems caused by gambling.

The coroner was told that Mr Fitzherbert went missing two days after Mr Elliott’s death on March 17.

The hearing was told his solicitor turned up at a police station to report his concerns.

Mr Fitzherbert was later found at a Bridlington beauty spot and taken to hospital.

He later booked himself into the Priory Hospital in London, the inquest heard.

Mr Elliott’s mother, Karen Kent, sat through the inquest with his sisters, Poppy and Beth.

They said they did not want to comment after the verdict.

Robert Francis QC, representing Hockney, told the court his client wanted to pass on his condolences.

He said the artist “felt his loss keenly”.

Mr Fitzherbert’s solicitor, Daniel Machover, said outside the court: “John extends his deepest condolences to Dominic’s family and friends.

“This is a tragedy for everyone who knew and loved Dominic.

“John has given every possible assistance to the court and he is still struggling himself to come to terms with Dominic’s death so will not be answering any questions.”