Mystery still surrounded the death of a 44-year-old man in his flat after an inquest at which a top pathologist described the spread of injuries as “bizarre to say the least”.

Home Office pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers said at the hearing at Ruthin, Denbighshire: “I still remain concerned about the injuries and the distribution of injuries.”

He added about the death of Liam Hill at West Parade, Rhyl, in January last year that after 17 years in the job “it was one of the most difficult cases I have dealt with.”

Mr Hill died from head and chest trauma but he also, mysteriously, had a collar bone fracture, broken ribs and most puzzling of all an injury to the genitalia. A murder investigation was launched after his death.

Five members of the family were at the inquest including his mother Cath, who had made the tragic discovery of his body.

Coroner John Gittins recorded an open conclusion.

Two days before being found Mr Hill had been seen on CCTV returning from a local bar, unsteady on his feet. Then neighbours found him collapsed at the foot of stairs.

Mrs Hill spoke to him by phone on the Friday morning of his death, arranging to go to Liverpool later that day. When she went to collect him he was dead in a kitchen chair.

Dewi Jones, a detective sergeant at the time but now a civilian investigator for North Wales Police, said when he was found at the foot of the stairs neighbours assumed he was drunk. “Later he woke up and explained he was drunk and had fallen into the hallway”, stated Mr Jones.

Ironically, CCTV had been fitted inside the block on the day Mr Hill had been found.

A major “suspicious death” probe was launched but it was unexplained whether he had died from an assault or a fall or a succession of falls.

“The investigation is not closed,” Mr Jones assured the family. “An appeal for information is still out. We haven’t had any crucial information in a twelve-month period.”

The coroner, giving his conclusion, said he couldn’t be certain whether Mr Hill had been assaulted or had a single or multiple falls. “The distribution of injuries in this case is very difficult to interpret,” he remarked. “I echo what the police have said, for anyone with any information to shed further light - as a family would like an answer.”