An alcoholic’s death that triggered a murder squad inquiry was eventually found to be an accident, an inquest heard yesterday.

Alan Steane, who was 54 and lived in a bed-sit in Kirkgate, Shipley, was found with serious head injuries by a house-mate at the bottom of steps where he lived. He was transferred from Bradford Royal Infirmary for treatment at Leeds General Infirmary and was put on a ventilator, but he showed no signs of improvement and developed heart problems. He died days later on July 6 last year.

The inquest in Bradford heard how police had arrested one of his house-mates on suspicion of causing his injuries based on intelligence from a former resident there.

However, the suspect told police he had discovered Mr Steane lying in an awkward angle at the bottom of the steps.

A post-mortem examination and an inquiry by murder squad detectives established Mr Steane’s death was more likely to have been the result of a fall rather than an assault and the housemate was released from bail.

Recording his verdict, Acting Coroner Professor Paul Marks said: “The only logical verdict is that he died as a result of a fall which was therefore an accident.”