A CORONER has ruled that a Nantyderry man found in the River Usk in January had drowned

Andrew Stafford Griffiths' body was found in the river near the Chainbridge pub after an extensive police search on January 10 which began after his father reported him missing on January 5.

At the time of his death, Mr Griffiths, 52, was living in an annex to the family home in Nantyderry where he worked as a lorry driver.

Mr Griffiths' father Stafford Ronald Griffiths told Gwent Coroners Court that he last saw he son alive at approximately 5.30pm on New Year's Eve.

He said his son was in good spirits and been working all day redraining and resurfacing their yard.

He had also been arranging his work commitments for the month of January.

That evening Mr Griffiths spent the evening at the Chainbridge pub which his father said, at most, is quarter of mile from the their home and would walk to and from the pub via a bridge, not along the river.

Mr Griffiths was seen in the pub at 10.45pm by a friend who was of the opinion that he had already consumed alcohol as his speech was slurred.

In a statement, DC Martin Coombes said that Mr Griffiths left the pub between 2am and 2.30am.

On January 5, 2009 Mr Stafford Griffiths became concerned about his son's whereabouts and reported him missing to the police.

The next day a set of keys and a hat that Mr Griffiths had with him were located on a footpath by PC Thomas.

Mr Griffiths' body was spotted in the River Usk by Christopher James Jones who, along with four friends,

helped with the police search on January 10.

A postmortem carried out by Consultant Pathologist Dr Geraint Evans found that Mr Griffiths died as a result of immersion in water.

Deputy Gwent Coroner Wendy James said that there was no evidence of traumatic injury or mental injury but sudden immersion in water can cause cardiac arrest but this does not show on a postmortem.

She said that his blood showed he was two and a half times the legal drink drive limit which, she said, is substantial intoxication making him unsteady on his feet and perhaps a little confused, hence, walking along the river bank.

She added, "I am satisfied that no third party was involved but I not satisfied as to how Andrew came to be in the river, I have no doubt that the alcohol he had consumed would make him unsteady and perhaps leading him to fall into the river, but that is only conjecture on my part."

Ms James recorded a verdict that Mr Griffiths was found drowned.