A HOMELESS man who was found dead on the streets of Dudley on a cold winter's afternoon died due to alcohol intoxication, an inquest was told.

Steven Garratt, aged 46, was found unresponsive near the tent he had been living in on open ground in Priory Road in the town on January 21, Black Country Coroner's Court was told on Wednesday (March 28).

Police officers found him and paramedics confirmed that he had died, Black Country coroner Zafar Siddique said, adding that police later confirmed there had been no suspicious circumstances.

Mr Siddique said Mr Garratt, who was born in Tipton, had a history of being alcohol dependent.

He told the court in Oldbury that Mr Garratt's sister had confirmed her brother was an alcoholic and she'd said the family had tried their best to help him but had cut off contact with him.

The inquest was told a post mortem revealed Mr Garratt died of respiratory failure due to alcohol intoxication and he was just over four times over legal limit for drink driving at the time of his death.

Mr Siddique gave condolences to Mr Garratt's family and he concluded: "He died due to an alcohol related death."