A GRANDFATHER who was overwhelmed by the alcoholic fumes from his home-brew distillery died when he collapsed into a scalding bath.

Ronald Matthews, of Rhoshirwaun, had been distilling 60 per cent proof alcohol in his bathroom using a still in his wash basin that was connected by a pipe to a bath filled with extremely hot water.

An inquest has found that the 72-year-old inhaled the super-strength liquor fumes from his five-gallon contraption, causing a “euphoric” effect that led him to pass out and fall into the scalding water on Thursday, 26 January.

Tests showed that Mr Matthews, who was later found submerged in the bath by police, did not die of drowning but because of scalding.

This conclusion was reached at an inquest at Caernarfon last Wednesday where pathologist Dr Mark Lord was key in joining up the dots to reveal the cause of Mr Matthews’ death.

Both police and the coroner Nicola Jones had been puzzled by the set-up in the bathroom where the retired engineer was found.

Nefyn-based police officer Goronwy Williams told the hearing how he had arrived at the village address at 7.50pm following an emergency call by concerned grandson Hollis Matthews two and a half hours earlier. After forcing their way into the house, officers found Mr Matthews submerged in the bath and were surprised to find the water was still “warm.”

PC Williams said: “We could clearly see that the deceased was in the bath. The bath was full of water, covering the mouth and nose area of the deceased. We felt the temperature of the water in the bath. It was warm.”

Police also found a glass “urn” in the sink and pipes leading from the wash basin to the bath.

Pathologist Dr Lord told the coroner he could dismiss the possibility that Mr Matthews had either deliberately or accidentally drowned himself because there was “no fluid in the airways” and “no water in the lungs.”

Instead, the pensioner had died as a result of scalding and the pathologist told the hearing that tests on liquid found in the makeshift distillery showed it was liquor of up to and in excess of 60 per cent proof.

By comparison, he said, shop-bought whisky is typically 40 per cent proof.

After seeing photographs of the bathroom and the equipment used, he concluded: “He was distilling home-brew in his bathroom.

“He was breathing in the alcohol off the still.”

Dr Lord added: “What I suspect has happened is that he has run the bath and set the still up, breathing in the alcohol.

“The effects of breathing in alcohol are much greater.

“He has become so intoxicated by it that he has collapsed into the bath and scolded.”

The pathologist said he felt the death was accidental.

“I can’t see any other reason unless he was deliberately breathing in the vapour for the euphoric effect.”

Coroner Nicola Jones concluded that Mr Matthews had died as a result of an accident and that the cause of death was scalding.

“We cannot say with any certainty whether he intended to become intoxicated or whether it was an accident,” she said.

“Whether or not it was Mr Matthews’ intention to inhale is frankly irrelevant. He did not intend to become unconscious.”