A family have paid heartfelt tribute to a 'lovable rogue' after an inquest heard how his body was discovered in a shed. Richard Finn, 45, was well known around Grimsby after he had appeared on the popular reality TV show Skint, and was often seen with his pet ferret Jet on his shoulder, reports Grimsby Live.
He had been living homeless for a year at the time of his death and was sheltering in a resident's shed on Marlborough Close. Known as 'Finny' or 'Little Richard,' he was a character described as being larger than life.
The inquest heard he had a turbulent relationship with his parents, Linda Ward and John Finnn, and after a tough upbringing, he went into care for some years before he later moved back in with family. Richard got involved with a bad crowd and turned to drink and drugs when he left school, both of which played a part in his death.
The inquest was led by coroner Jane Eatock at Cleethorpes Town Hall on Tuesday, May 16, as his his mother paid tribute to her son, and described him as a 'lovable rogue'.
Linda Ward said: "Richard and his siblings witnessed his dad drink a lot of alcohol which no doubt rubbed off on them, I think this is one reason Richard was a big drinker himself." She added: "He was a sociable young boy who had many friends. He would often go out first thing in a morning and only come back home when it was time to eat. He was never one for school and I don't think he was there as much as we thought he was.
"He left Phoenix House Academy in 1994 and got a job at Cherry Valley, which he loved. However, he couldn't hold it down for long and he never really had a job after that." Shortly after, Richard started his first serous relationship with a woman who had three sons that he thought the world of.
It was around this time that his drink and drug problem began to get worse and she left him after speding five years together. He went on to have other long term relationships and fathered two children in the process, daughters Sky and Blossom. Richard also suffered the tragedy of having stillborn son, Leo, whose grave he often visited.
Linda believes this was the only time Richard showed his 'true emotions'. The addiction issues overcame him, leading to a number of incidents where he would become argumentative with his family, sometimes damaging their property. Linda says she always forgave her son, who she said was a very thoughtful man.
In a statement read out at the inquest, she said: "He would often pop and see me and bring me little ornaments that made him think of me. I still have some up around the house to this day. He was a loveable rogue."
She added: "It was a big shock when I was told the news about his death. It was so unexpected and I was so upset because he only got to live to 45, but he will never be forgotten." For her and other family members, the inquest acted as a form of closure to Richard's life.
Richard featured on the hit Channel 4 show Skint in 2014, which took a deep dive into some of the country's most deprived communities, shining the spotlight on Grimsby to an audience of over one million people. Richard therefore became even more well known, but tragically, that fame would be short lived.
The inquest was told how he was found by a homeowner in a shed, where it's believed he'd been staying on and off for the previous year. The man went out to the shops and was going to get his mobility scooter, which was kept in the shed, when he found Richard's body.
Emergency services were immediately called to the scene and CPR was carried out for the next 20 minutes, but it was sadly unsuccessful, and Richard was officially pronounced dead at 2.14pm on September 24, 2020.
Evidence was heard at the inquest, including statements from mental health services and substance abuse charities, detailing how Richard had approached them for help but hadn't engaged further.
The Home Office perfomed a toxicology test and post mortem and found a number of drugs in Richard's system, all of which are used to help calm people down by lowering their heart rate. It's believed a number of these drugs contributed to his death.
In conclusion, Ms Eatock said: "Richard had a long and difficult history of drug abuse and was close to his family, although as a child he moved away, he returned. They had done their best to support him, but his life style made things very difficult."
"Because of his drinking and drugs, It seems his friends all revolved around these activities, making it difficult for him to break out of there." She ruled intoxication of drugs as the cause of death adding: "He was larger than life with a big personality.
"He was well known on the streets of Grimsby for his appearance on Skint and was a lovable rogue. He wasn't all bad and had a good relationship with his mum, you have to remember the good times you had with him."
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