Lloyd Verity’s partner Karen Rogers called 999 after she was woken in the middle of the night on May 2 last year to a “strange noise” coming from her partner at their home in Little Marlow Road.

She told Beaconsfield Coroner’s Court on Wednesday (February 16) that Mr Verity, 55, had been complaining of a toothache days before his death and, upon seeking medical advice, was told to buy over-the-counter painkillers to help manage the pain.

Ms Rogers said Mr Verity took three painkillers in total from the packet he bought, at different times of the day, and was known not to take medication unless he really needed it.

He had also not seen a GP in almost two years, the court heard.

Ms Rogers told the inquest Mr Verity had complained of feeling “very, very cold” in the days before his death, even wearing a big winter jacket in April and May to ward off the cold.

She said the couple also believed they had contracted Covid in the months before Mr Verity died, adding: “He was never quite the same after that.”

On the night of his death, Ms Rogers said Mr Verity went to bed early as he said he was feeling very tired and, when she went up to bed, he told her he was very warm and “was sweating”, with their duvet soaked through.

After changing duvets, the couple went to sleep.

She told the court she was woken up at around 2.30am when Mr Verity was “making a funny noise, like a really big snore”.

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She said: “I asked him if he was okay and he said nothing. He then made that noise again and I knew something was wrong.”

She called 999 and when paramedics arrived, they found him not breathing. They tried to save him but Mr Verity was sadly pronounced dead just before 3.45am.

Two toxicology reports found varying levels of paracetamol and codeine in Mr Verity’s fluid samples, but assistant coroner Alison McCormick said the report could not be used in evidence since the two reports brought back differing levels of both medications.

The court was told no reason was found for the difference in numbers, with the laboratory having checked to make sure the samples had not been mixed up with someone else’s.

Consultant pathologist Steven Corrigan told the court via video link that he had found no evidence of any external trauma to Mr Verity’s body, nor were there any signs of infection or sepsis. A Covid test also came back negative.

Dr Corrigan also did not find any evidence of a tooth abscess, although Ms McCormick said this did not mean there was not one, as it could have been in his jaw and unable to be established.

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Mr Verity’s medical cause of death was recorded as unascertained as, despite the numerous tests conducted, a cause of death was not able to be found.

Ms McCormick recorded an open conclusion, saying: “The toxicology results cannot be taken as reliable evidence as they are anomalous.

“There is no evidence that he took any kind of medication overdose.

“There is no evidence to suggest that his death was caused or contributed to by any medication that he took for his toothache.”

She added: “Because of the lack of overt evidence in terms of the cause of his death, the only conclusion is an open conclusion.”