An inquest has heard that Paul Joseph Smith, 40, who was suspected of starting a fatal house fire in St Helens, Merseyside, was found dead in a wheelie bin a week after the attack.
Fire and deaths
The fire at the home of Sheila Jackson, 83, and her partner Eric Greener, 77, occurred last July. The couple were rescued from the blaze but died in hospital from burns and smoke inhalation.
Smith, also known as Smigger, is believed to have started the fire. He lived on Lower Breck Road and last spoke to his family on July 19; he was reported missing by his brother Michael on July 21.
Discovery of Smith's body
Smith's body was discovered seven days after the attack, in a wheelie bin where it had been moved after he died in a bath, having taken a cocktail of drugs. The hearing at the Gerard Majella Courthouse in Liverpool was told that police were called on July 22 by Steven Wales, who reported that a man had either drowned or overdosed in the bath at a property on Coniston Street, Everton, two days earlier.
Senior coroner for Liverpool Andre Rebello said: “Merseyside Police were deployed and located a male, deceased, in a wheelie bin at the rear of derelict properties on Thirlmere Road, which backs on to Coniston Street and is separated by an alleyway. The deceased male was identified by police as Paul Joseph Smith.”
Cause of death
Home Office pathologist Dr Matthew Lyall said toxicology results showed Smith had taken heroin close to the time of his death, as well as a “relatively large amount of cocaine” and a number of sedatives. Dr Lyall said drowning could not be proved or excluded. He added: “Neither can it be entirely excluded that the deceased was held under water by a third party, but pathological findings cannot prove that occurred.” He recorded the cause of death as mixed drug toxicity.
The court heard that police were satisfied the death was not caused by criminality. Mr Rebello said it was understood there were criminal proceedings ongoing regarding the disposal of the body. Recording the death as drug-related, the coroner said: “He died from taking illicit and sedative drugs which caused respiratory failure.”
Sentencing of others
Earlier this year, Kevin Weetman, 34, Kylie Maynard, 37, and Lee Owens, 46, were jailed for the manslaughter of Mr Greener and Ms Jackson. A trial at Liverpool Crown Court heard that Smith had travelled with Owens to the home in South John Street just after 12.30am on July 15. Weetman was jailed for life with a minimum of 25 years for planning the attack after Mrs Jackson's son George Jackson, 48, refused to sell drugs for him. Maynard, said to be the “trusted lieutenant” in Weetman's drugs line, was jailed for 23 years, and Owens was sentenced to 13 years and six months.
