THE death of an alcoholic loner found with serious burns at a Southampton flat is to remain a mystery.

An inquest heard how a murder investigation was launched after Bernie Finn, pictured, died in Southampton General Hospital hours after the blaze at a council maisonette in Thornhill.

Police arrested welder Darren Morris, 27, and later charged him with the murder of 52-year-old Mr Finn.

Due to medical evidence the allegation was reduced to one of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, but proceedings were dropped due to witness problems.

Mr Morris maintained he had returned from walking his dog to find Mr Finn on fire in his lounge, and had dragged him to safety with the help of a neighbour.

Yesterday a Southampton inquest heard how there had been insufficient evidence to say whether Mr Finn's death had been either accidental or unlawful.

Recording an open verdict, Southampton Coroner Keith Wiseman said: "Obviously a major incident of some kind occurred on this evening but it is not known whether this was in the flat or outside somewhere.

"The circumstances of this death remain a mystery."

The hearing heard how divorced Mr Finn, who lived alone in Hightown Towers, had been found outside Mr Morris's flat in the early hours of November 8 last year, having suffered a head injury and 40 per cent burns.

Home Office pathologist Roger Ainsworth said the cause of death had been burns, although Mr Finn had suffered facial injuries consistent with being stamped on or kicked.

Detective Sergeant Phil Jones, of Bitterne CID, who led police investigations into Mr Finn's death, said: "Mr Finn was an alcoholic who drank with other people in the immediate vicinity who were either alcoholics or at the very least heavy drinkers.

"The information we got from neighbours was that Darren Morris was a violent man. The information we got was that Finn was perhaps used by other people in order for him to get alcohol for them to consume."

The inquest heard there had been a history of blazes at Mr Finn's flat, with firefighters called out three times in as many years, and it was possible he had set himself alight on the night he suffered fatal injuries.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.