Sleep deprived father accidentally hanged himself after falling asleep and slipping through handbag strap on stairs after three day drink and drugs binge

• Mike McLeod, 34, became entangled after falling unconscious at foot of stairs

A sleep deprived father accidentally hanged himself from a friend’s handbag strap after passing out at the bottom of his stairs following a three-day drink and drugs binge.

Mike McLeod, 34, had become entangled after falling unconscious at the foot of the stairs at his home in Newquay, Cornwall, a coroner heard.

The father-of-one had become excessively sleep deprived during a three day drink and drugs binge with friends where they drank 10 litres of spirits and he had virtually no sleep.

Family and friends at the inquest at Cornwall Coroner’s Court heard that he was a ‘very well known and well liked’ man who was ‘kind, loving and honest’.

Mr McLeod was the ‘life and soul’ and at the ‘centre of the party’ who had issues with binge drinking – but his death came as an an utter shock. 

Mike McLeod, 34, had become entangled after falling unconscious at the foot of the stairs at his home in Newquay, Cornwall, a coroner heard

Cornwall assistant coroner Guy Davies said: ‘He had been binge drinking and taking controlled and illicit drugs for three days and was excessively sleep deprived during that entire three day period.

‘My conclusion is likely what happened is that Mike was sat at the foot of the stairs resting his head on the bannister and then passed out.

‘Somehow his head and neck have become entangled in the handbag strap and he strangled himself while unconscious through the drink and drugs and excessive sleep deprivation.

‘It was a tragic accident rather than a deliberate act on his part.

‘He accidentally strangled himself with the handbag strap.’

Mr McLeod had been taking drink and drugs with friend Matthew Brown-Jackson before he died.

He told the inquest that they had downed ten litres of spirits during the weekend as well as cocaine and controlled drugs.

The Truro inquest heard that Mr Brown-Jackson passed out but Mike only had a very brief nap on a sofa during the three day session.

Det Con Lewis Harrison said family and friends believed it was a ‘tragic accident rather than a deliberate act’ and the inquest heard Mike had been in a ‘jovial and happy’ mood.

Police said there were no suspicious circumstances and a post mortem confirmed Mike died from hanging.

It found that he was 2.5 times the legal drink drive limit and had taken a cocktail of drugs.

Coroner Mr Davies said Mike died from his own actions but ruled out suicide saying Mike had plans for the future with his partner with whom he was in a loving relationship.

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