Cleaner found landlord dead in pub (From York Press)

Cleaner found landlord Andrew Wingfield dead in Cottage Inn Pub

8:03am Friday 31st August 2012 in News

A York pub landlord who had suffered from depression was found dead by a cleaner when she turned up for work, an inquest in York was told.

Andrew Wingfield, 39, was found hanging from a rafter in the function room of the Cottage Inn Pub, in Haxby , by Pauline Bolton when she arrived for her morning shift on May 17.

The inquest heard how Mr Wingfield, a father of three from Fulford , was concerned about possible media coverage of a kitchen hygiene report by City of York Council , which had given the pub a “zero rating”.

Coroner Donald Coverdale read a statement from Ms Bolton, who told how she had shouted for Mr Wingfield but received no answer. When she discovered his body she dialled 999.

She said Mr Wingfield had told her previously that he had been contacted by The Press over the kitchen hygiene inspection and that it had “upset his day off”.

Bar staff described his mood as good the evening before, but said he did suffer from mood swings. His wife, Cara, also said in a statement that he had been unhappy with his job for a long time.

Mr Wingfield left no letter explaining his actions and the court heard that a toxicology report found no trace of alcohol in his body.

In his final verdict Mr Coverdale said Mr Wingfield had killed himself.