A WIFE has spoken of her shock and grief after her husband kissed her goodnight and never woke up again.
Paul Butler, 49, had fallen asleep in his armchair at home after a night out with wife Maureen at Marley's in Holderness Road, east Hull.
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Family man: Paul Butler, 49, of east Hull, with wife Maureen, and Mr Butler's nephew, Oliver Davies during a family day trip to Mappleton last year.
Gifted artist Mr Butler's body was found the following day by his "soulmate", an inquest into his death heard.
Pathologist Dr Anne Campbell said Mr Butler had died from alcoholic cardiomyopathy ? a disorder in which drinking too much alcohol over a long period of time weakens the heart muscle.
She warned anyone who drinks high volumes of alcohol risked developing the condition, which rarely has any obvious symptoms.
Mrs Butler, of Park Grove, off Wynberg Street, east Hull, said: "We had been sitting in the living room listening to music on the radio and Paul had fallen asleep in his armchair.
"I touched him on his chest and said, 'Are you coming up to bed?'
"He replied, 'Shortly, love.' I opened the door to go to bed and he said, 'Maureen, I love you.'
"I slept in the following day and didn't get up until 12. I found him lying on the floor, next to the armchair.
"I said, 'Paul. What's up? Get up.' But he didn't respond."
Mrs Butler, who had been married to Mr Butler for five years, rang for an ambulance, but he was pronounced dead at the home.
The inquest heard Mr Butler, whose family insist was not an alcoholic, had consumed six pints of Guinness and two shots of whisky on the evening of April 6.
Medical records showed Mr Butler's weekly alcohol consumption had been dropping in the months before his death.
Mrs Butler said her husband, who did not work, did not appear drunk.
His mother, Pauline Cappleman, who now lives in Suffolk, said her son had previously complained of chest pain but doctors had ruled it was heart palpitations.
Dr Campbell, who carried out a postmortem on Mr Butler's body, said she took a reading of 299mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, almost four times the drink-driving limit.
She said: "There is a condition called alcoholic cardiomyopathy. It's a toxic effect of alcohol. People who have this condition are at risk of dying suddenly."
Dr Campbell said it was possible the effect of the alcohol consumed by Mr Butler may have exasperated the condition.
Paul Scott, assistant deputy coroner for Hull and the East Riding, recorded a narrative verdict.
He said: "Paul Butler died on April 7 from alcoholic cardio- myopathy.
"His high alcohol consumption on the day before his death and its detrimental effect on his respiratory function may have exasperated the alcoholic cardiomyopathy and been a contributory factor to his death."
After the hearing, Mr Butler's sister Jeanie Butler, 40, joined by his wife and mother, urged others to learn from their tragedy. She said: "People need to listen to their body and see their doctor if something is not quite right.
"Cut back on your alcohol ? you don't have to be an alcoholic to die from alcohol."
Mr Butler was often heard telling jokes and laughing, according to his family.
He had his work displayed at Ferens Art Gallery in Hull's Queen Victoria Square.
Mrs Butler, who has two children, Ashley, 23, and Charlotte, 18, from a previous relationship, paid tribute to her husband.
She said: "Paul made me very happy. He was also a great stepfather to my children."
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