A second inquest into the death of singer Amy Winehouse has confirmed that her death was caused by alcohol.
The same verdict of misadventure was recorded at a re-hearing of the inquest - after the first was heard by a coroner who did not have the correct qualifications.
The hearing was told today that the Back To Black star was more than five times the legal drink-drive limit when she died, having 416mg of alcohol per decilitre of blood in her system - the legal driving limit is 80mg.
The inquest at St Pancras Coroner’s Court in London heard the same evidence about the singer’s death as was revealed at the first inquest in October 2011.
Winehouse was found dead in bed at her flat in Camden, north London, on the afternoon of Saturday July 23rd 2011.
St Pancras Coroner Dr Shirley Radcliffe said the star died from “alcohol toxicity”, adding that it was “a level of alcohol commonly associated with fatality”.
She said Winehouse “voluntarily consumed alcohol” and added that “two empty vodka bottles were on the floor” beside her bed when her body was discovered.
In a written statement, Winehouse’s GP, Dr Christina Romete, said: “She was genuinely unwilling to follow the advice of doctors, being someone who wanted to do things her own way.”
Dr Romete saw Winehouse the night before she died.
Although the singer had been drinking, the GP said: “She specifically said she did not want to die.” The doctor’s statement also revealed Winehouse’s struggle with an eating disorder - which she spoke about shortly before her death.
“I visited Amy at home on 16 May and for the first time she admitted she made herself sick following food binges,” Dr Romete said in her statement.
In a written statement, Winehouse’s live-in security guard Andrew Morris said he and the star had over time “developed a brother/sister relationship”.
Speaking about the moment he realised she was dead, he said: “I was upset and shaken. She’s like a sister to me.”
Detective Inspector Les Newman, who gave evidence in person, confirmed there were “no suspicious circumstances” in the singer’s death.
Professor Michael Sheaff, a colleague of Suhail Baithun who carried out the post-mortem examination, also gave evidence in person and said: “Mr Baithun established the cause of death as alcohol toxicity.”
He added: “It is likely Miss Winehouse had a respiratory arrest.”
Winehouse, who won five Grammy awards in 2008, was described by coroner Dr Radcliffe as an independent woman.
“She clearly had a mind of her own,” she said. "But her alcohol ingestion became a significant health problem.”
Dr Radcliffe said Winehouse was “repeatedly warned” about the dangers of alcohol.
PA