An upholsterer died after a drink and drugs binge

An upholsterer died after a drink and drugs binge in the squalor of a London flat after growing up in the beauty of Dorset’s countryside, an inquest heard today.

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Alastair Ruff, 48, fell prey to the temptation of booze and illegal substances as his life took a downward spiral in the capital.

Ruff had been caught injecting himself with the heroin substitute by a resident at an address on the Cromwell Road, West Kensington, on March 3 this year.

But as she ran downstairs to get help a thump was heard on the ceiling above as Mr Ruff, better known as ‘Alley Cat’ among his London friends, slumped to the floor.

Attempts were made by an ambulance crew to revive Mr Ruff, but he was later certified dead at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

And Wesminster Coroner, Doctor Paul Knapman recorded a verdict that death was due to alcoholic intoxication ‘in the presence of methadone.

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The circumstances of Mr Ruff’s death were a far cry from his upbringing in Dorset in the small village of Shaftesbury over-looking the Blackmoor Vale.

Mr Ruff’s sister, Janet Blackall, of London Street, Whitchurch, Hants, told Westminster Coroner’s Court that the family had lived in a variety of cities in the UK and abroad.

‘After he was born in Shaftesbury our family moved to Scotland,’ Miss Blackall said.

‘From there we moved to Hong Kong in 1962 but in 1965 we moved back to Scotland.

‘While we were in Hong Kong Alastair attended a military college.

When we returned to Scotland he took on apprenticeship as an upholsterer.

‘He first married in 1969 and he then moved to the Capital in 1973 where he remarried in 1979.

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But Mr Ruff’s second marriage was destroyed as a result of his addiction to alcohol in 1988.

A rehabilitation centre in Wandsworth was then his home as attempts were made to prevent the disintegration of Mr Ruff’s lifestyle.

He then moved to Nevern Place, Earls Court.

But on the day of his death Mr Ruff visited the address on the Cromwell Road where he borrowed pnds stlg 20 and left again.

A short time later he returned and it was then that the resident found him injecting methadone into his arm.

After his collapse a large bottle of cider was seen next to his body.

And later tests showed he had a blood-alcohol concentration three times the legal limit for drivers.

The post mortem revealed he had been drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.

Even though the concentration of methadone in his blood was not very high the combination of everything was enough to destabilise his heart.

Dr Knapman said: ‘Mr Ruff’s life did not make a happy story and he had trouble with alcohol and drugs and his lifestyle left a lot to be desired.

‘Alastair Ruff died from the action of chronic alcohol intoxication in the presence of methadone.

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