A man whose death in suspicious circumstances in Belfast led to a murder hunt was later found to have died from a high level of alcoholic poisoning, an inquest in the city heard yesterday. A forensic pathologist, Dr John Press, said the alcohol level in the man's body was the second highest recorded in the North in the last 30 years.
The body of James O'Connor (21), a single man from Whitecliff Parade in west Belfast, was found at Beechmount Leisure Centre near his home on December 5th, 1995. He was unconscious and bleeding, his jacket and shoes were missing.
The murder inquiry ended when a post mortem showed the man's injuries had not contributed to his death, which the pathologist said was due to the exceptionally high level of alcoholic poisoning.