The inquest into the death of a man connected to a high-profile Liverpool arson case heard on Wednesday that the body was discovered in a wheelie bin at the rear of derelict properties off Thirlmere Road.
Police found the body after a missing-person call
Senior coroner Andre Rebello told the hearing that Merseyside Police attended after a call on 22 July from Steven Wales, who said a man had either drowned or overdosed at an address on Coniston Street, Everton. Officers located the deceased in a bin two days after he was last seen by his family.
"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 coroner confirmed the deceased was identified by police as Paul Joseph Smith, who lived on Lower Breck Road. He had last spoken to relatives on 19 July and was reported missing by his brother on 21 July.
Toxicology and cause of death
A Home Office pathologist, Dr Matthew Lyall, reported toxicology results showing Smith had taken heroin close to the time of his death, along with a "relatively large amount of cocaine" and several sedative drugs. Dr Lyall said drowning could neither be proved nor excluded and that pathological findings could not confirm whether he had been held under water by another person.
The coroner recorded the cause of death as mixed drug toxicity, stating the death was drug-related and that the drugs had caused respiratory failure. Coroner Rebello also said police were satisfied the death was not the result of criminality.
Context: connection to separate arson convictions
The hearing referenced a linked criminal case earlier in the year in which three people were jailed at Liverpool Crown Court — Kevin Weetman (34), Kylie Maynard (37) and Lee Owens (46) — after an arson attack. The court heard the attack was planned in relation to a drugs dispute; sentencing included a life term with a minimum of 25 years for Weetman, 23 years for Maynard and 13 years and six months for Owens.
- Date police were called: 22 July
- Last contact with family: 19 July
- Reported missing: 21 July
- Cause of death recorded: Mixed drug toxicity
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Last known contact with family | 19 July |
| Reported missing | 21 July |
| Police called to address | 22 July |
| Body located | 22 July (found in wheelie bin) |
The coroner noted there were ongoing criminal proceedings concerning the disposal of the body, but said the police had concluded the death itself was not caused by criminality.
This inquest highlights how drug-related deaths remain a complex issue for local communities and for emergency services, where toxicology can explain cause but not always the precise circumstances leading to a death. The recording of mixed drug toxicity will be entered on the inquest record, while other aspects such as disposal of the body continue to be addressed in separate proceedings.
