THE DEATH of a window-cleaner from Borehamwood, who was found hanging at home, was described at an inquest as “totally unexpected”.

Stephen Lue, 37, from Micklefield Way, was found dead by his father at his home on January 24.

Paramedics were called to the house at around 1pm.

At the inquest, held on Wednesday at Hatfield Coroner’s Court, Coroner Edward Thomas said a post-mortem report showed there was 167mg of alcohol, more than twice the legal driving limit, in his system but no evidence of any medication.

He said Mr Lue died of cardiac-respiratory failure due to suspension.

Sergeant Mark Smith, from Hatfield police station, told the coroner he arrived to find Mr Lue on the floor with a noose around his neck and a bottle of Jack Daniels whisky and a glass beside his bed.

Mr Lue had been suffering from depression since November 2008.

Dr Rehan Siddiqi, a psychiatrist from Watford General Hospital’s crisis assessment and treatment team, first assessed Mr Lue on November 25 last year.

Mr Siddiqi said: “I first assessed him and saw he was suffering from a delusional disorder.

“We didn’t want to take him into hospital as it would have been disasterous if we made him leave his job.

“He was quite proud he had set up his own business and wanted to continue doing that.”

He added: “I would say it [the death] was totally unexpected. I felt that he was quite a proud individual planning for the future.

“I would not have thought Stephen would have taken this route.

“The team were shocked and called me to let me know. Stephen was an extremely nice chap.

“I am very sorry for his family.”

Concluding that Mr Lue took his own life, Mr Thomas said: “There was no third party involvement here. His judgement was clouded in two ways.

“One by alcohol and the manner in which it was drunk, and two of what he believed was happening around him.

“This would not have happened if he had not had this mental disorder.

“I’m convinced there were so many good things about Stephen, including his work, personality and in his pre-morbid state his kindness, niceness and how he was a pleasure to be with.”