Jury set to deliberate Phillip Polkinghorne’s fate, fresh wave of explosions in Lebanon plus The Sims is coming to the big screen.
The lonely death of a Welsh man whose body was found in his supported living accommodation has been ruled accidental after a coroner found he likely died trying to separate two frozen burger patties with a knife.
Barry Griffiths was found in his flat in Llandrindod Wells flat on July 4, 2023, after a week-long disappearance raised concerns.
The Pontypridd Coroner’s Court heard that police found Griffiths, a “very private man”, lying fully clothed on his bed with blood on his swollen stomach, the Western Telegraph reported.
Blood was found throughout the flat but Griffiths’ phone, wallet and computer were untouched and there was no sign of any disturbance.
A post-mortem later established Griffiths had suffered a single stab wound.
Detective Sergeant Stephen Vaughan told the inquest he attended the scene and believed it to be “more of an unexplained death” with no indication Griffiths had been assaulted.
“On reflection, I should have probably got closer to check the wound,” Vaughan admitted.
Vaughan then stepped back from the investigation and Detective Chief Inspector Jonathan Rees took the lead.
A man is thought to have fatally injured himself while trying to separate frozen beef burger patties with a knife. Photo / 123RF
A cause of death was given as as blood loss through sharp force injury after Home Office pathologist Dr Richard Jones reviewed the initial post-mortem and photographs from the scene.
Rees told the hearing: “My thought process favoured the wound had been caused by an accident solely involving Mr Griffiths. The bottom drawer of the freezer had been left open and pulled forward in a position to access food items.
“On the work surface in the kitchen adjacent to the fridge freezer were two uncooked burgers, a knife and a tea towel.
“The wound to the abdomen would have been approximately the height of the work surface. My hypothesis at that stage was that Mr Griffiths was attempting to separate frozen burgers using a knife.”
Rees added that Griffiths’ blood was found on the tip of a kitchen knife, after it was initially mistakenly identified as chocolate, the Western Telegraph reported.
Area coroner Patricia Morgan ruled the death accidental and said Griffiths lay dead for several days from a single stab wound combined with an existing coronary condition, noting he led a “relatively private life with limited contact with others”.
She thanked family members for attending the inquest, telling them: “I appreciate the evidence is difficult to hear and traumatic.
“Thank you for your patience while the investigation was ongoing. I express my condolences at this difficult time.”
