Child abuse at church could have led to man’s alcoholism

UNITED KINGDOM
Get Hampshire

By Stephanie Cockroft
February 03, 2012

AN alcoholic drunk himself to death after struggling to cope with the memories of being sexually abused by a Roman Cathlolic priest when he served as an alter boy, an inquest has heard.

Simon Withrington was found dead in his Aldershot home on November 17 last year, after drinking enough vodka to put him more than six times over the drink-drive limit.

The coroner Andrew Bradley, who took the hearing at Alton Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, gave a verdict of misadventure and said it was clear Simon had not actively tried to kill himself.

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