Missing Great Yarmouth man was ‘very drunk’ before ending up in water at Corton

Questions remain over how a Great Yarmouth man died in the sea after going missing on Boxing Day last year. Scott Mayers moved out of his Southtown home days before Christmas last year on December 23, an inquest at Suffolk Coroner’s Court heard on Wednesday. He stayed with a friend in Martham, but concerns were raised on Boxing Day after a text message he sent to his wife which read: “Goodbye, I’ve always loved you.”

His Mitsubishi truck was found unlocked in a car park on Links Road in Lowestoft, with his wallet and coat inside, while his mobile phone was found nearby. A dog walker found his body on January 1, 2022, near Baker’s Score in Corton. Scott Mayers (Image: Suffolk Police)

A post-mortem examination found Mr Mayers had a blood alcohol level of 198mg per 100ml. The legal drink drive limit is 80mg, while a reading of over 200mg is associated with unconsciousness. As Mr Mayers was found in the water, however, the reading may vary by 50mg in either direction.

The inquest heard Mr Mayers was a “light” drinker and such a reading would have meant he was “very drunk”. A medical cause of death was given as drowning, with excess alcohol consumption a contributing factor. Suffolk’s senior coroner Nigel Parsley reached a narrative conclusion, saying: “Scott Mayers drowned after entering the sea at Corton.”

He said he was unable to conclude Mr Mayers intended to take his own life, adding: “How he entered the water – because he could have slipped due to his alcohol level – cannot be ascertained on the available evidence.” Scott Mayers (Image: Sam Mayers) In a statement read to the hearing, his wife of nine years Samantha Mayers said: “When he was young he used to do martial arts but it left him with injured hips.

“His first hip replacement went well, but his second left him with one leg longer than the other and restricted his mobility. “It caused him to become very unhappy, but he never expressed feeling depressed. “It’s now been almost a year since I lost him and it still feels strange he is gone.

Life will never be the same again.” If you need help and support, call Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust’s First Response helpline 0808 196 3494 or the Samaritans on 116 123. Both services are available 24 hours 7 days a week.

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