Sellafield electrician died after drinking lethal amount of alcohol

Darren Stoddart 33, was discovered dead by his dad who went to check on him at his Workington flat on the morning of April 14 this year.

An inquest held at Cockermouth Coroners’ Court heard Mr Stoddart had a history of alcohol dependency and had been signed off sick from his job at Sellafield at the time of his death.

He had suspected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and bipolar disorder, and had engaged with mental health and addiction services.

Mr Stoddart’s dad, Garry, said his son had struggled with mental health issues for all of his adult life. He would turn to alcohol to ‘make himself feel better’ but managed to hold down his job and complete his apprenticeship.

In his late 20s, he was ‘drinking far too much’ at the weekend and this was causing issues at home. His family couldn’t have alcohol in the house and would hide it from him.

Mr Stoddart completed an alcohol detox arranged through Recovery Steps, an addiction support service, but he felt as though he ‘shouldn’t be there’.

Garry Stoddart said his son was struggling with his mental health but was told by mental health services that his issues were due to alcohol use.

He said Mr Stoddart would go to the corner shop, buy a 70cl bottle of vodka, and by the time he got home, he had drunk it.

Mr Stoddart had split up with his long-term partner, who was struggling to cope with his alcohol use. She had initiated the break-up and Mr Stoddart didn’t want to move out of their house.

He rarely left home and was getting everything delivered, including alcohol. He then got his own flat and ‘seemed quite positive’.

His dad went to visit him and saw he had fallen and ‘things were smashed up’. He contacted Mr Stoddart’s doctor because he was concerned about his son’s health.

Mr Stoddart didn’t want to leave the flat but his dad managed to get him out to a doctor’s appointment on April 5.

His dad was going round to see him three times a day to check on him. Garry Stoddart said it was like his son ‘wasn’t bothered’ and ‘just wanted to be left alone’.

He last spoke to him on April 12 when he went round that evening to check on him. He said he told his son he ‘couldn’t just lie in bed all the time’ and Mr Stoddart had replied, ‘I know, I’m just depressed’.

On April 13, Garry Stoddart went round to his son’s flat four times and took empty bottles of alcohol out of the bedroom. Mr Stoddart was lying in bed, asleep. He checked on Mr Stoddart again that evening and he was still asleep.

The following morning, Garry Stoddart arrived at the flat just after 7am and found his son unresponsive. An ambulance arrived a short time later and his death was pronounced.

Police attended and found no suspicious circumstances.

The inquest heard that Mr Stoddart had first contacted Recovery Steps in 2017 to access support for alcohol use. In June 2023, he said he had got everything he could out of the service and was discharged.

The mental health team responsible for Mr Stoddart’s care said he had been feeling low for many years and didn’t have enjoyment in day-to day-activities.

He had been off work for a considerable period of time and was drinking every day. He was ‘stuck in a cycle of alcohol consumption’ and had agreed to cut down on his drinking.

A post-mortem report revealed extensive fatty liver disease but no cirrhosis of the liver.  

Margaret Taylor, assistant coroner for Cumbria, said the changes to his liver indicated he was ‘drinking very heavily’ and the lack of cirrhosis was likely due to his young age. It was something he would have gone on to develop, had he not died.

The amount of alcohol in his system was in the lethal range. Mr Stoddart died due to fatal alcohol toxicity and the cause of death was given as alcohol ketoacidosis. Ms Taylor concluded that Mr Stoddart’s death was alcohol-related.

In her concluding statement, Ms Taylor said: “It’s so sad to see someone of such a young age die in this way, especially when he has got so much support.”

The coroner passed on her condolences to Mr Stoddart’s family.

If you are struggling with addiction, help is available:

Recovery Steps Cumbria

Call: 01900 512300 or email: referrals@recoverystepscumbria.org.uk

CADAS (Cumbria Addictions Advice and Solutions)

Helpline: 0800 254 5658 or email: contact@cadas.co.uk