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A long-serving Conservative councillor accidentally fell to his death after a heavy drinking session, a court was told.

An inquest at Margate Magistrates’ Court today (April 10) heard how Adrian Gregory – known as Ken – was found among broken bits of a doll's house that had been placed at the top of the stairs the night before.

The 65-year-old was pronounced dead at his home in Monkton Street, Ramsgate, at 6.04am on October 16 after he was discovered at the bottom of the stairs by his wife.

'Larger than life character'

Mr Gregory, a retired firefighter who served as a Thanet district councillor for more than 20 years, has been described as a “larger than life character” by those who knew him.

He was also a Kent County Councillor for Birchington and Rural, and a parish councillor for Monkton Parish Council.

Detective Sergeant Morley told the hearing: “The deceased was known as Ken, who was a local councillor and recently elected to Kent County Council.

“He was a heavy drinker, which is something he did not acknowledge or receive treatment for.

'Empty whisky bottle'

"His wife Kay reported arguing with him the previous evening, where she said Ken had pushed her and she had pushed him back.

“She said it was an argument about drinking where she had found an empty whisky bottle.

“She left a doll’s house at the top of the stairs so she could hear him coming up the stairs.

“She went to bed, and heard nothing more before she awoke and then found him dead at the bottom of the stairs.”

No third party involvement

A statement from paramedic Andrew Gibson read to the court said: “His wife reported the patient was intoxicated the previous night, and was being verbally abusive before she went to bed.

“She did not hear anything in the night, and had come downstairs in the morning where she saw him at the bottom of the stairs.

“Parts of the doll’s house and toys were on the staircase.”

Although the police initially believed Mr Gregory’s death to be suspicious, the police later said there was no third party involvement.

The court also heard that an anonymous phone call was made to the police saying Mr Gregory’s wife was responsible for his death, though police said there was no evidence to support this.

Giving evidence, his wife Kay Gregory said a row had erupted the evening before when she noticed a large quantity from a bottle of scotch had gone missing.

'Secret drinking'

She said: “He was sitting in the chair in the lounge, with just something on his top half, looking very strange.

“When I said something to him, he looked straight through me.

“I shook him, and he launched himself up towards me.”

Mrs Gregory said she then went to bed, taking some co-codamol and a "small finger" of whisky, and left the doll’s house out so she could hear him move it if he came upstairs.

Speaking of her husband’s drinking habits, Mrs Gregory said: “He would start at lunch and would not stop until the evening.

“I discovered a lot of secret drinking was going on.”

Coroner Ian Goldup ruled the cause of death as accidental and acute alcohol intoxication.