Drunken man, 27, drowned in beck

Martin Gogan, who was 27, was found face down in the shallow water off Meanwood Road, Leeds, in September last year after police were alerted to his body by graffiti artists.

An inquest heard yesterday that Mr Gogan, a sporty man who worked as a farmhand, had been drinking with his girlfriend Shona Lewis and continued drinking at a party.

He was described as being "very drunk" on the night before his body was discovered.

Mr Gogan had been drinking vodka, a drink which could make him behave in an irrational way, the hearing in Leeds was told.

The inquest heard that Mr Gogan had been asked to leave the taxi, before it got him home, because of his aggressive manner. His girlfriend woke the next day and realised he had not made it home and so contacted police.

Coroner David Hinchliff said what happened after he left the taxi was not known, but it is possible that he he may have been trying to take a short-cut to his home in Sugar Well Road.

A post mortem concluded that he had drowned and that he had drunk a considerable amount of alcohol that would have put him around four times over the drink drive limit. He also had a small amount of cocaine in his system.

Det Insp Paul Conroy, of north east Leeds CID, said he was satisfied that Mr Gogan had not been attacked. Injuries on his body were consistent with him falling.

Mr Hinchliff recorded a verdict that Mr Gogan had died as a result of an accident.

He said that Mr Gogan's body had been found in shallow water and it was possible the action of the water had moved it downstream from the point where he may have left the road and fallen.