A BEREAVED Bolton dad says he was outraged when the first he knew of an inquest into his son's death was when a friend read it in the BEN. Henry Cormican says he was shocked when he received a phone call from the friend who told him about the report. He claims he missed out on hearing the detailed circumstances surrounding the death of his son James, 36, because no one in his family was informed.

But coroner Martin Coppel, who delayed the inquest expecting relatives to turn up, maintained that a letter had been sent to next of kin.

The inquest in Bolton had heard how James, of Hargreaves house, off Trinity Street, died following a fall after cracking his head on a bench in Bolton town centre while drunk.

His father Henry, aged 61, of Pimlott Road, Hall i'th' Wood, said: "It nearly broke my heart when I read it. It has just been a terrible shock.

"All the family were horrified to see it in the paper."

He maintains none of his family - which includes his son's five brothers and two sisters - were told when the inquest in Bolton was taking place.

Mr Cormican said he was also upset to read that his son had been described by one witness at the inquest as looking "like a tramp".

The witness who saw Mr Cormican fall described him as scruffy and unshaven.

Well liked

But Mr Cormican said: "He wasn't scruffy or a tramp, far from it. He was a well liked lad and a good son.

"He just liked everyone and got on with everyone.

"The whole family is upset about it."

His son James had been a registered alcoholic and frequently went drinking in Bolton town centre with friends.

Mr Cormican said his son had lost his job and broken up with the mother of his two teenage children as well as losing his house, all in the past few years.

Belfast-born James, who had lived in Bolton since he was nine, died after spending two days in intensive care at the Royal Bolton Hospital, surrounded by his family, after the fall on September 22, last year.

The inquest heard he was five times over the drink drive limit - close to the level needed to kill from alcohol poisoning.

An inquest into his death was held on January 26.

The only relation of Mr Cormican's to provide evidence was his sister Margaret Cummings who submitted a written statement.

She said she had been drinking with him in a pub the day he had his fatal accident and added he had been drinking since 4am.

She added: "He left the pub and told me he would be back later. He did not return and that was the last I saw of him."

A statement issued by the coroner's office in Bolton said: "We did inform the next of kin by letter."

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