Arab poet choked to death on sandwich after night of drinking

Hamad Al Ketbi, 38, had ordered the snack from room service shortly after returning to the Mayfair Hotel at dawn following a night at a West End casino with friends. He had a blood-alcohol reading nearly twice over the legal drink-drive limit.

He was found slumped in his room wearing a T-shirt and shorts with a half-eaten sandwich on the table in front of him.

Al Ketbi, an army officer and poet in his homeland, had been in Britain visiting relatives. Police ruled out foul play but said he had been drinking on the night of his death. There were packets of tablets and an open bottle of Budweiser in the room.

The inquest heard the tablets were probably used to treat high blood pressure and one was a form of sleeping pill. They did not contribute to his death. Pc Angharad Thompson told Westminster coroner's court that hotel records show Mr Al Ketbi had signed for room service just after he returned to the hotel at 5am and that was the last time he was seen alive.

A post-mortem report revealed Mr Al Ketbi had died from an obstruction in his breathing tube. Recording a verdict of accidental death, Coroner Dr Shirley Radcliffe said: "How sad. Essentially this is a gentleman who has inhaled food and choked. It is a tragic event."

Mr Al Ketbi leaves a 29-year-old wife, Shama Al Mazroui.

Neither she nor any members of his family were in court to hear today's verdict.