A coroner has ordered an inquest after a Barking man was found to have died of alcohol poisoning.

Lakhwinder Singh, 40, of Gurney Close, died at Newham Hospital on July 5.

“His death was reported to this court by the Barts Health NHS Trust – the trust that run Newham University Hospital – due to the fact that they could not be certain as to the cause of death,” said Graeme Irvine, senior coroner for east London.

“A post-mortem examination was authorised by the court and consequently a cause of death has been offered which indicates that alcohol played a causal role in the death.

“For those reasons, I have determined that it is necessary to consider the matter for an inquest to be opened today.”

The inquest was opened at East London Coroner’s Court in Walthamstow on Thursday (September 19).

Coroner’s officer Jean Smyth testified that a pathologist had concluded Mr Singh died of acute ethanol intoxication and had alcohol-related fatty liver disease.

“Given the fact that it seems that it is arguable Mr Singh’s death was caused or contributed to by the use of alcohol, I will open an inquest,” said Mr Irvine.

He made Mr Singh’s next of kin an interested person in the inquest, meaning they will have the right to interrogate evidence and question witnesses in court.

Mr Irvine ordered copies of the full post-mortem report, Mr Singh’s GP records and hospital records to be supplied to the court.

“If Mr Singh was being supported by a local drug and alcohol service, could I please have a short statement from them setting out the extent of the support,” he said.

“If the police were involved, I would like statements from them,” he added. “But it doesn’t appear, on the face of things, that they were.”

The inquest was listed for March 5.