Sexy Fish sushi chef died after Jack Daniels' binge on Christmas Eve, inquest hears

A sushi chef at a top restaurant tragically died after drinking a bottle of Jack Daniels on a bench outside his home in the early hours of Christmas Eve, an inquest heard.

Marcin Blok, 42, had no history of drink problems but 'completely misjudged' the effect of the whiskey on his system.

A coroner ruled that the death which occurred just three months after Marcin had arrived from his native Poland to work at the Sexy Fish eatery, was caused by 'fatal alcohol toxicity'.

The chef's devastated wife, Liobov Karborska, tragically found her husband collapsed on a bench near to their home in Salford, near Manchester at 6.30am on December 24 last year, the MEN reports.

An inquest at Bolton Coroners' Court heard yesterday (Wednesday). The pair had moved to the UK to work as sushi chefs.

One of three brothers, after he graduated from high school in Poland he worked as a sushi chef and 'loved his work', according to Ms Karborska.

In a statement she made to a police coroners' officer, read out at the inquest, Ms Karborska, said her partner arrived in the UK in September 2023 and worked at Sexy Fish restaurant in Manchester.

She said she had known him for five years and was aware he took medication every day for high blood pressure, but otherwise he was 'fit and healthy' and he 'worked hard'.

She described her husband as an 'occasional' drinker. Marcin worked until late in the evenings and in his spare time he went to the gym and enjoyed basketball, the court heard.

He intended to save up money and then return to his homeland, she said. "Marcin is missed and was loved greatly," said Ms Karborska, who did not attend the hearing as she has now returned to Poland.

A post mortem examination found nothing of concern in Marcin's vital organs but toxicological analysis found 345mg of alcohol in his system. The legal limit for driving is 80mg.

Detective Sergeant Karl Perry, of Greater Manchester Police , confirmed in a statement read out in court, that North West Ambulance Service was called to the collapse at 6.30am on December 24, and found him unconscious and not breathing. They confirmed his death four minutes later.

He had been found 'slumped' on the bench by his wife when she went to look for him as he had not returned home the previous evening, the court was told. He was said to have left their flat at 1am to buy alcohol.

Police found an almost empty 70cl bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey under the bench where Marcin had collapsed. They also found an empty can of Heineken lager and an empty bottle of chardonnay wine, although officers believe that the state of the win suggests it had lain there for months.

On on top the bench was a half-litre bottle of coke, the inquest heard. Marcin's iPhone, which had fallen from his pocket during attempts to resuscitate him, was also nearby.

Marcin was wearing a red beanie hat, a t-shirt with 'Sexy Fish' across the front, a bubble coat, tracksuit bottoms and red and black Nike shoes when his body was found, the inquest heard.

The police investigation into the death uncovered CCTV which showed Marcin had gone into the nearby Nisa convenience store at 00:47 to purchase the Jack Daniels and the coke for £23.59.

Officers concluded the death was not suspicious. No note or any evidence he had intended to harm himself was found, according to DS Perry.

Senior Coroner for Manchester West, Timothy Brennand, recorded the medical cause of death as 'fatal alcohol toxicity'.

Concluding it was an 'alcohol-related death', Mr Brennand said Marcin had decided to sit on the bench prior to his return him to drink the 'vast majority' of the Jack Daniels which 'was to prove fatal'.

Mr Brennand said: "I do not consider for a moment this was a deliberate act of self-harm. The deceased was a hard-working chef. He was an economic migrant who's long-term future was to make sufficient amount of money in the job and vocation he loved, with the help and support of his wife who also worked in the same industry, with a view to returning back to Poland having pursued their respective careers in the UK."

He added: "It may have been in the run up to Christmas a particularly busy time for people working in the catering and restaurant trade. The deceased has completely misjudged the amount of alcohol that ought properly to have been introduced into his system, succumbing to the effects of the Jack Daniels he was consuming."

He went on to say it was 'important to state' there was no evidence Marcin was an alcoholic, adding that the deceased was 'capable of hard work' and he may also have 'played hard as well'. He said: "This is a very significant tragedy for the Blok family to endure and for their loss I'm very sorry."

After the hearing, a spokesman for Sexy Fish, which opened in Spinningfields last year, said: "We were absolutely heartbroken to hear the news about Marcin late last year. He was a close friend to many of the team here, and a massively valued colleague. He was talented, quick-witted, funny and loved by so many in our industry. Our thoughts are with his family at this time and he will be remembered at Sexy Fish and across the group."

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