Drowned as could not afford taxi

A MAN who was three times the drink-drive limit of alcohol has fallen into the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and drowned.

The inquest into the death of 21 years old Shaun Rigby was told he was drunk and dropping his phone in a takeaway in Blackburn after a night out with friends, Alan Tilbury reports.

Spent all his money

He had spent all his money on drink so could not afford a taxi, but two boys gave him cash and called Silver Line Taxis, but the driver, realising his condition, refused to take him home.

However another taxi firm, City Taxis, eventually picked him up, but the driver was only able to take him a short distance as he did not have enough money for the journey home. So he decided to walk by the waterway, but somehow fell in and drowned.

Alcohol and cannabis

Dr Jacob, who undertook the post-mortem examination, told the inquest:

"He had three times the drink-drive limit of alcohol in his body and there was some cannabis. The combination of the two and the high levels of alcohol would have affected his coordination and attention."

Shaun Rigby's body was found a few days after he had been reported missing after he had been spotted on a CCTV recording (Body found in canal) with his phone some distance away.

His mother told the inquest that Shaun did not drink heavily but went out with friends once a month.