St Leonards man found dead in his home

Daniel Brady, 75, was found in the Stonehouse Drive property on June 22 by two police officers.

They had been called to the scene by neighbours who were concerned for the retired labourer’s wellbeing.

An inquest into his death, held in Hastings today (Tuesday, October 13), heard police found a number of empty blister packs, packets of prescription tablets and an empty bottle of wine next to Mr Brady’s body.

In a statement read to the court, PC Crew said the tablets found belonged to his wife, who had died some years earlier.

Mr Brady’s GP Dr Fox told the court, in a written statement, that Mr Brady had been diagnosed with skin cancer in February 2020.

Mr Fox said he had spoken to the 75-year-old on June 8 during a telephone consultation in which Mr Brady said he had lost his voice three months previously and it had not come back. Mr Brady said he wanted to get it checked but had not done so because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He was booked in for an appointment with a consultant on July 9 but died on June 22.

Assistant coroner for East Sussex Fiona King returned a conclusion of suicide, adding: “It would appear Mr Brady was going through his wife’s belongings and, perhaps concerned by his skin cancer or concerned about his throat, found her medication and decided to take it.

“At the scene there were a number of empty blister packs all with her name on. On the balance of probabilities, I have come to the conclusion that he intended to take his own life. We should respect that was his decision.”

After the conclusion was announced to the court, Mr Brady’s niece said her family would like to thank PC Crew and PC Beal – the two police officers who found Mr Brady.