A disabled man died following a fire at his home which an inquest heard was most likely started by his elderly mother and full-time carer.

Geoffrey Butlin died on April 11, 2016, aged 65, following a fire at his home in The Green, Addingham, on Friday, March 18, 2016.

Mr Butlin was cared for by his elderly mother Shirley Butlin after a failed suicide attempt in 1980 left him with brain damage.

An inquest into his death was reopened yesterday by Assistant Coroner Peter Merchant at Bradford Coroner’s Court.

Dr Kirsten Hope, pathologist, said following a post-mortem she had established Mr Butlin’s cause of death as bronchopneumonia due to the effects of fire.

Dr Hope said Mr Butlin was dependent on his mother for care because his brain injury had left him with cognitive impairment and mobility problems.

Firefighters had to break down the door to the Butlins’ home in a bid to save the pair from the fire, and both were rescued, but Mr Butlin failed to recover. Fire investigations officer Gary Asquith told the court the fire was mainly confined to the cottage’s dining room, with the rest of the house being damaged by heat and smoke. He said: “The first started in the armchair nearest the door, and there was a suitcase on the armchair.

“Geoffrey and Shirley were found sat in chairs in the lounge across the hallway. We found it was a deliberate ignition with a naked flame on combustible items, and I would agree with that conclusion.”

Evidence from various social workers was heard during the inquest, which detailed how Mrs Butlin was often found drunk while caring for her son, and “was not the easiest person to deal with”.

A statement from Sheila Andrew, one of the social workers, said: “She was always very stand-offish, I felt like I was always walking on eggshells. While she loved Geoffrey, Shirley could be very cruel to him. She said that when she went [died] he would go with her.”

Mr Merchant added: “There is a recognition by social services that there should have been input from other members of Geoffrey’s family into his care,” and said a safeguarding investigation is ongoing.

Detective Constable Martin Jarvis told the court that in the circumstances the only two people who could have started the fire were Mr Butlin or Mrs Butlin, but psychiatrist Professor Bob Peckitt said: “Mr Butlin would not have had the capacity to plan and carry out deliberately starting a fire.”

Shirley Butlin was interviewed under caution over the fire, but gave a no comment interview.

DC Jarvis said: “Last year Shirley Butlin was found dead at her holiday home near Blackpool, and had died from natural causes.

“The Crown Prosecution Service took a decision there would no longer be a case for the investigation to carry on. We would like to think that the investigation found no-one else could have been responsible for the fire.”

Mr Merchant is due to deliver a verdict in the case today.