A LATCHFORD man was found in a state of decomposition by police officers, an inquest has heard.
An inquest into the death of retired teaching assistant Michael Victor Smith was held on Wednesday (April 17).
Cheshire Police officers were called to his home on Oldham Street on March 28 following concerns from a friend who had not heard from him since March 9.
The friend called the police after visiting Mr Smith’s home and noticing his curtains were closed and that post had started building up outside.
Officers entered and found Mr Smith in a “state of decomposition”, the inquest heard.
Paramedics attended the scene and confirmed his death, aged 66.
His medical cause of death was “unascertained”.
As such, senior coroner Jacqueline Devonish ruled an “open conclusion”.
According to the Chief Coroner’s Guidance, open conclusions are to be “discouraged, save where strictly necessary”.
“An open conclusion is the conclusion that can be used when another short-form conclusion has not been proved,” the guidance reads.
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