A CORONER has criticised the police for arresting two brothers on suspicion of murder after an alcoholic was found dead at her home at Christmas last year.

At an inquest into the death of 57-year-old Janice Holt, found dead at her home at 5 Pentop, Golwg-y-Castell, Cardigan, on 28 December, coroner Peter Brunton described the police decision to arrest two brothers for her murder as “hasty” and “surprising”.

Delivering a verdict of alcohol misuse, Mr Brunton heard how Ms Holt’s body was found partially decayed on her sofa by neighbour, Christopher Watkinson, with two empty 1.5L bottles of brandy in her hands, one of which was an inch and a half from her mouth.

The inquest heard from the first police officer on the scene, PC Gemma Gladwin, who said she received the report at 1.14pm after Mr Watkinson had found her body when looking for a Christmas card which he believed had been sent to the wrong address.

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