A FORMER chef at Theatre Clwyd whose drinking became worse during lockdown died due to alcohol-related damage to his liver.

The inquest into the death of Stephen Foulkes, 53, heard that his drinking had got to the point where he was drinking three or four bottles of wine each day, starting when he woke up at 7.30am.

The hearing at County Hall in Ruthin heard this equated to 27 units per day with the recommended weekly maximum for a man being 14 units.

Assistant coroner for North Wales (East and Central) David Pojur said "This is very substantial alcohol intake" which he said had an impact on his mental as well as physical health.

Mr Foulkes, of Cairndale Avenue, Connah's Quay, had battled with alcohol dependency most of his adult life and had been through several detox programmes.

The inquest heard that he had become fearful of going out, especially to hospital, during the coronavirus pandemic and had turned down treatment and missed appointments on occasion.

When he was seen at the Community Drug and Alcohol Service in Rowley's Drive, Shotton, on September 11 last year, he appeared unkempt and cognitively challenged. He was told he needed to go to hospital.

He was admitted to the emergency department at Wrexham Maelor Hospital and then moved to a ward.

Mr Foulkes husband Mark Thomas told the inquest he was unable to visit him on the ward due to coronavirus restrictions. But after his condition deteriorated, due to the damage to his liver and hospital acquired pneumonia, he was moved to end of life care and Mr Foulkes' husband, father and sister were able to spend time at his bedside before he passed away on October 20.

The coroner heard that Mr Foulkes had attended St David's High School in Saltney before going to catering college. He worked at the Green Room at Theatr Clwyd before changing career to work at the Citizen's Advice Bureau.

His husband said: "Stephen was an amazing man who loved helping others".

The coroner recorded a conclusion of alcohol related death.