Coroner 'not satisfied' Hatton intended to take his own life

After the 46-year-old was found "unresponsive" at his home in Hyde, Greater Manchester, on 14 September, a pre-inquest review was told his provisional cause of death was hanging. Alison Much, sitting for the full inquest at Manchester South Coroner's Court in Stockport, concluded that while she was "satisfied that Hatton had carried out the acts which led to his death, [she] could not be sure he intended to take his own life". Hatton's son, Campbell, told the court: "He [Ricky] had made plans for the future which leads us to believe this [his death] wasn't premeditated.

" Hatton was last seen by his family on 12 September when he appeared "well" but failed to attend an event the following day. On the morning of 14 September, his manager Paul Speak arrived at Hatton's home to take him to Manchester Airport to catch a flight to Dubai, where he had been hoping to fight later in the year. Speak found Hatton "unresponsive" in the games room of his house, with a half-full glass of wine on the bar.

A toxicology report read in court showed that Hatton had more than twice the permitted drink-driving level of alcohol in his system. There was also evidence of previous cocaine use but not in the hours prior to death. Det Sgt Helen Gridalis, of Greater Manchester Police, told the inquest no notes were found in the property.

Neuropathologist Dr Neil Papworth said a microscopic examination of Hatton's brain showed damage called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Papworth said this could have been caused by repeated blows to the head during his boxing career. This type of damage is also more usually associated with people older than Hatton.