A MUM-of-two died following a drink-fuelled evening with her partner.

Warrington Coroner’s Court heard on Friday how scientist Neena Washington had drank three bottles of wine with Mark Nolan at their Appleton home the night before her death.

Mr Nolan, who was arrested in the wake of her death but later cleared, said: “She was in quite good spirits. The night was quite calm until later in the evening.”

Mr Nolan, of Castlefields, Runcorn had met Mrs Washington – who was then married and living with her husband, Clive – while in the Priory clinic in 2005. Mr Nolan was being treated for anger management and she was receiving counselling.

Shortly after meeting, Mr Nolan moved into the newly separated Mrs Washington’s home, where she lived with her two teenage children.

Son Alexander Washington, aged 18, said in a statement that the couple’s relationship was extremely variable. He said it was passionate but with highs and lows and was sometimes violent.

Mr Nolan told how he noticed her become more stressed and argumentative as she drank spirits in the evening. He suggested they had a shower to calm down.

Mr Nolan said the 46-year-old became aggressive and the pair struggled.

He added: “I left the bathroom and went to the bedroom, there was blood on the floor as she had fallen. She had banged her nose on the door frame.

“I was still in the bathroom – I was quite annoyed with her at the time. I hadn’t wanted an argument with her that night. I was expressing that I wasn’t happy with the situation.”

Mr Nolan added that Mrs Washington – who had made two previous overdose attempts – entered the bathroom with a kitchen knife while he was brushing his teeth. He told the court that she held the knife to her chest and said: “Go on then you might as well kill me now.”

In the early hours of May 2, Mr Nolan heard a noise while he was in the study downstairs and went to the kitchen. He found Mrs Washington collapsed on the floor. Presuming that she had passed out from the alcohol he went to their bedroom and planned to check on her after 10 minutes but he fell asleep at around 2am.

About 7am Mr Nolan awoke and found the former Astra Zeneca employee in the same place he had left her.

Paramedics confirmed she was dead and called police after noticing scratches on Mr Nolan’s face and chest. Mr Nolan was arrested but no charges were made against him.

Following a post mortem examination on the 46-year-old, pathologist Brian Rogers found traces of alcohol, the painkiller codeine, antidepressant drug amitriptyline and atenolol, a prescribed hypertension medication, in her body. Mr Rogers concluded that her death was caused by a combination of the alcohol and three medications.

Michael Wallbank, assistant deputy coroner for Cheshire, said: “I am not satisfied that she intended to take her own life. I am satisfied that the cause of death was accidental overdose of alcohol and medication.”