A PUB landlord from Bala was found hanging from a banister after police broke into his property, an inquest heard.

Alan Edwin Stuart, who was the landlord and lived at the The Ship Pub in the town, was found dead on 15 January, 2016.

An inquest in Caernarfon heard how a friend of Mr Stuart had called North Wales Police concerned for his safety as he had not been seen for some time.

Pc Adrian Kiernan, who received the call, told the inquest that following the report he attended the 51-year-old’s pub, where it appeared there was no-one inside.

Pc Kiernan, of Bala Police Station, who discovered Mr Stuart’s body, said: “We had a call from Mr Stuart’s friend who said he was concerned for him and thought something may be wrong as he hadn’t seen him for some time and asked us to check on him.

“When we attended The Ship Inn everything was secure on the property, it didn’t look like anyone was inside as all the lights were out, but there was one window slightly open on the first floor.

“We called the fire service and managed to gain access through that window into the property.

“Once inside I walked up one flight of stairs to the lounge quarters where I immediately saw Mr Stuart.

“I recognised him immediately, as I had met him on several occasions before during Pub Watch meetings.”

The court heard how Mr Stuart had left several items in the main living room with notes attached to each one addressed to different people.

Pathologist Dr Mark Lord carried out the post mortem on Mr Stuart on 18 January and recorded the cause of death as asphyxia.

North West Wales senior coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones said: “From the evidence I have seen I am satisfied that Mr Stuart died as the result of his own actions and there is nothing to suggest anyone else was involved with his death.

“I am satisfied to record a verdict that Mr Stuart did kill himself.”

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