A former chef in England has told an inquest he accidentally crushed his girlfriend to death by rolling on top of her as they slept on a sofa.
Robert Trigg, 47, and his partner Susan Nicholson, 52 were cosying up on a couch at a home in West Sussex on April 17 when they fell asleep and he smothered, an inquest heard.
"We cannot be sure precisely how Mr Trigg came to lie across Susan's face but the evidence is that he did and that immediately caused the death," coroner Michael Kendall said.
Mr Trigg was initially questioned on suspicion of accidental manslaughter but was released without being charged.
The inquest heard the couple had slept together on the couch a number of times before and the morning after Ms Nicholson's death Mr Trigg awoke to find his torso lying across his partner's face.
He said when he woke up at 8.15am the next morning Ms Nicholson's hand was still warm and he told he her to "time to wake up, stop mucking about" before realising she was dead.
Mr Trigg said "it was a freak accident and I lost my partner."
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