Tributes to Eastbourne character who died after town centre collapse

Tributes have been paid to a well-known Eastbourne character who died after collapsing in the town centre.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Lyndon Roberts, known as Stoke Robbo, was “brilliant and funny”, “outgoing”, and a “wonderful joke teller” whose personality would fill a room – an inquest into his death heard today (Thursday).

The 57-year-old was also described as artistic and musical, a book lover, and was often seen busking around town with his harmonica.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In a family statement read at the inquest, his daughter Emily Eldridge said, “He had a brilliant and funny personality, outgoing, a wonderful joke teller. Always willing to offer help and advice when he could.”

Ambulance newsAmbulance news
Ambulance news

She said he was also a “highly intelligent lover of music” who was also a great artist, often drawing for pleasure. He was also a keen fisherman.

But, the inquest heard, Mr Roberts struggled with addiction to alcohol. His doctor said he would drink between 40-80 units of alcohol a day.

GP Stephen Lytton said in a statement that Mr Roberts had a long history of mental health issues, alcoholism, and drug use. He had a history of violence in his childhood, the statement said, and started using illicit drugs from the age of 14. Mr Roberts left home aged 16 and increased his drug use, receiving a number of prison sentences. He occasionally used heroin, the report said, but had been clean for many months.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The father had experienced homelessness and eventually received temporary accommodation before getting his own place in Brodrick Road. Mr Roberts was also being treated by STAR substance misuse service, now known as CGL.

Members of the public found him collapsed and not breathing outside Eastbourne Railway Station on May 19. They called 999 and Mr Roberts was taken to the ICU for a suspected cardiac arrest, the inquest heard.

It was discovered he had suffered a serious brain injury due to being starved from oxygen. He died in St Wilfrid’s Hospice on June 4.

A post mortem report found he had 365ml of alcohol per 100ml of blood. The legal limit for driving is 80. The report said this would be consistent with “extreme drunkenness, unconsciousness, depressed respiration and coma”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

His cause of death was found to be brain injury after having a cardiac arrest triggered by ethanol toxicity.

Coroner Alan Craze said he had seen people die having drunk less alcohol.

He said, “He had an overwhelming hypoxic brain injury he was never going to recover from. I have got a pretty clear picture of his lifestyle.”

Mr Craze concluded he died from alcohol toxicity. He expressed his condolences to the family.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

• If you are concerned about your or your loved one’s alcohol use, you can call Drinkline for advice. The charity’s free helpline is available on 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am – 8pm, weekends 11am – 4pm).