Misadventure verdict on man in diesel siphoning plot

A man died of carbon monoxide poisoning after illegally siphoning diesel from a Texaco garage.

Avon and District coroner Paul Forrest recorded a verdict of death by misadventure on Michael Hunt from Bristol.

Mr Hunt was found collapsed in the back of a lorry containing large containers and generators by friends helping him siphon off diesel worth almost £3,000.

He was taken to Frenchay Hospital by the men, one Asian and one Afro-Caribbean, before they left without leaving details of his condition or identity.

A woman later rang the hospital twice to tell them his name and that he had been siphoning off petrol.

Mr Hunt was resuscitated before being taken to the intensive care unit of the hospital. But he died later.

Post-mortem tests showed the concentration of carbon monoxide in his blood was 61%. Levels higher then 50% can be fatal and the cause of death was recorded as carbon monoxide poisoning.

Suranga Samaraginghe, who works at the Texaco service station in Coalpit Heath, Bristol, told the Bristol hearing he had recorded the levels of diesel in the tank beside the garage at 14,435 litres when he closed up for the night.

The next morning there was a shortfall of 3,735 litres, valued at £2,946.91, the inquest heard.

It is believed a generator and tubing was used to siphon diesel from a tank at the side of the garage into a tank on the lorry.