Father-of-three died in stream

Mar 13 2008 by Victoria Richards, Pontypridd Observer

A MAN found dead in a shallow pool of water had consumed 20 times the normal limit of painkillers, an inquest has revealed.

David Alan Sheppard, aged 45, of no fixed address but lately of Pontypridd and originally from Ton Pentre, was found face down in a stream at Lakeside Farm in Gilfach Goch on June 11, 2007.

A hearing at All Hallow’s RC Church in Miskin heard from Royal Glamorgan Hospital pathologist Dr David that the deceased had been found with “very high levels” of codeine and an anti-depressant drug in his blood.

Dr Stock said: “Codeine stops you breathing if you take too much of it.”

Detective Sergeant John Pope said the dead man had formed a relationship in 1990 with a woman ten years younger than him, Rhian Protheroe and they set up home in Ton Pentre, married and had three daughters.

“She made a statement in which she outlines a long history of domestic abuse committed against her by the deceased,” DS Pope said. “This is supported by entries in his medical records where he sought psychological assistance to control his aggression. It was alleged that he assaulted her on more than 10 occasions and drank ‘heavily.’

“Mrs Sheppard left her husband on many occasions. He would then get her back with letters and flowers and if that failed, he would often threaten to commit suicide.”

The court heard that in 1986 Sheppard had made a “serious suicidal gesture” by hanging himself in front of a previous partner after being violent towards her.

In the months leading up to his death, one of Mr Sheppard’s daughters witnessed him assaulting their mother and threatened to leave home. This prompted Mrs Sheppard to leave her husband and take out a ‘non-molestation order’ against him.

DS Pope said that Mr Sheppard moved in with a former partner, Sian Willis, and on May 20 rang his wife and said he had taken tablets in an apparent suicide attempt. He then threatened to kill her.

“On June 9 Mrs Sheppard went to the Greyhound Pub in Pontypridd with her friend, Beth Challenger,” he said. “The meeting was initially uneventful but his mood soon changed and he attacked the two women, grabbing them by the neck. The following morning Ms Willis found Mr Sheppard was not in the house which was strange and out of character. At 6.15pm he rang her and she heard a noise she said was “some sort of groan, like someone was in pain”, then it went quiet.”

At 7am on Monday, June 11, Kenneth Carey was taking his dog for a walk when he saw a man lying on his left side in a shallow part of the river, just half a mile from Ms Willis’ home in Wood Street.

He pulled him partially from the river and Mr Sheppard made a “snoring noise.” His shoes had been taken off and there were discarded packets of painkillers scattered around but his mobile phone was never found.

Dr Stock said that the cause of Mr Sheppard’s death was codeine poisoning, and he also had “eight or nine times” the normal range of antidepressant.

Coroner Philip Walters said that while Sheppard had taken a “cocktail of drugs”, he was not going to record a verdict of suicide. “Whilst I accept that the drugs are very high, we do not know what his intention was when he made that phone call and it could well have been a cry for help,” he said. He recorded an open verdict.