Hungry man tries to separate frozen burgers - with tragic consequences

An inquest heard Barry Griffiths, 57, lay dead for days in his home after the freak accident, with officers claiming the kitchen knife slipped as he tried to part the patties

A hungry man died after he accidentally stabbed himself while trying to separate two frozen burgers with a knife, an inquest heard.

Barry Griffiths, 57, was killed in the freak tragedy while parting the frozen-hard burgers. The inquest heard he lived alone and lay dead for several days before being discovered with a trail of blood around his kitchen, hallway and bedroom. Police were baffled by the mystery death after a Home Office post-mortem found he suffered stab wound.

But officers then worked out that the burger meal was the cause of the bizarre tragedy. Detective Chief Inspector Jonathan Rees said: "The bottom drawer of the freezer had been left open and pulled forward in a position to access food items. On the work surface in the kitchen adjacent to the fridge freezer were two uncooked burgers, a knife and a tea towel.

"The wound to the abdomen would have been approximately the height of the work surface. My hypothesis at that stage was that Mr Griffiths was attempting to separate frozen burgers using a knife. My thought process favoured the wound had been caused by an accident solely involving Mr Griffiths. “

The inquest heard Mr Griffiths was found in his flat in Llandrindod Wells, Powys, Wales, and a post-mortem examination revealed that he died from a stab wound. His blood-stained body was found in July last year after concerns were raised that he had not been seen for more than a week.

Mr Griffiths, who was described as a "very private man", was found on his bed at his supported living accommodation fully clothed and with blood on his swollen stomach. His phone, wallet and computer remained in place and there was no sign of any disturbance at the first-floor flat. There was blood in the hallway, bathroom and bedroom.

Detective Sergeant Stephen Vaughan said that he was satisfied that it was not a suicide but "more of an unexplained death". Home Office pathologist Dr Richard Jones gave the cause of death as blood loss through sharp force injury. Statements, house-to-house enquiries, and checks on Mr Griffiths' finances and digital devices were made which ruled out any third-party involvement.

DCI Rees said that the tip of a kitchen knife, which was marked with a substance initially identified as chocolate, turned out to be Mr Griffiths' blood. Area coroner Patricia Morgan concluded that Mr Griffiths, who had restricted use of one arm following a stroke, most likely died from an accident while preparing frozen food for cooking.

Mrs Morgan said Mr Griffiths, who led a "relatively private life with limited contact with others", lay dead for several days from a single stab wound. She told the inquest at Pontypridd Coroner's Court that it was most likely an accident when preparing frozen food for cooking.

She added: "I appreciate the evidence is difficult to hear and traumatic. Thank you for your patience while the investigation was ongoing. I express my condolences at this difficult time."