A FORMER punk rocker who led a chaotic lifestyle and repeatedly tried to kill himself died of chronic alcoholism at 37 , an inquest heard.

A post mortem examination showed Shaun Ainsworth, of Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, had not drunk alcohol for 24 hours before his death and there were no traces of drugs or carbon monoxide in his body. But pathologist Dr John Rutherford stated: "It is accepted that chronic alcoholics can die suddenly without obvious reason."

His report added that over a period of time alcoholism created an abnormal heartbeat which eventually became so acute it stopped the heart.

Deputy East Lancscoroner Michael Singleton recorded a verdict of death from natural causes. Mr Ainsworth was found dead in bed at home last November. His father, Maurice Ainsworth, of London Terrace, Darwen, said Shaun, born in Adelaide, Australia, and brought to the UK as a baby, became involved in the punk scene in his early teens.

He told the inquest: "He began going out at night and coming home drunk. He started a pattern of getting drunk on a regular basis. Then in his late teens we were aware he was taking 'soft' drugs."

Mr Ainsworth said his son drank more and more, despite medical treatment. He was told he would kill himself if he did not stop.

He added: "He never settled down during his adult life. He often lived rough and hardly ate.

"On at least four occasions he tried to kill himself by slashing his wrists or taking pills."

PC Stephen Wignall, who found the body, read a report from a social worker which described Shaun as leading a chaotic lifestyle with a complex state of learning disability, schizophrenia and alcoholism.

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