The death of a man who plunged half naked through the plastic roof of a backpackers’ hostel has been described as “bizarre” by a coroner.
Ian Timothy Brown, 48, known as Tim, suffered severe head injuries in the 20-foot fall at The Grapevine, in Middle Street, Brighton.
He was airlifted to Kings College Hospital, London, on June 3, but suffered severe brain damage and his life support machine was switched off the following day.
Friends said the former high-earning insolvency practitioner was a “smiley character” and the “life and soul”.
But how he fell to his death remains amystery.
Recording an open verdict Veronica Hamilton- Deeley said: “Maybe one day we might find out what happened. But sadly I think it’s unlikely.”
Despite being able to earn in a few months what many would take a year to earn, he gave up work in 2008.
The “deeply spiritual” man was thought to have money problems but never expressed suicidal or depressive thoughts.
Friend Dr Atul Kumar- Beurg said: “He was never worried about his situation, he was always very philosophical. He recognised things weren’t going to plan but he wasn’t upset about it.”
The meticulously tidy man’s hostel room was “chaotic and in a total mess”.
Suspected drug residue was found on a rolled up £20 note – but no drugs or alcohol were in his system.
The extremely bodyshy man was found naked from the waist down – described as “completely out of character”.
The last person to see him an hour before the fall said he was “smiling as always”.
Staff heard a crash shortly before 9.40am and Mr Brown was found lying on the floor. He had wide-open eyes and he was unresponsive after falling through the corrugated roof into a concrete basement.
It was considered “impossible” for the 48- year-old to have jumped from his window. PC Stuart Bell, first officer on the scene, said Mr Brown could have crawled out of his window along a ladder on the roof to reach a raised solid roof.
Friends said he could have been trying to find a quiet place to sunbathe and meditate.
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