A PEMBROKESHIRE librarian lost his life after a sex game went tragically wrong, coroner Mark Layton heard on Thursday.

Simon Peter Smith, 38, grew up in Haverfordwest and went to school in Roch and Sir Thomas Picton.

He spent time working for Cartlett Home and Garden in Haverfordwest and also as a funeral director in England.

Coroner’s officer, Jeremy Davies, told the inquest that the death of Mr Smith’s grandmother in 2012 affected his mental health, causing him to give up his job at the time.

In 2014 he was diagnosed with bi polar.

He was prescribed medication and said it was “like a fog being lifted”.

The following year he started to struggle again. He was working for the county’s library service and moved from Haverfordwest to Fishguard, finding the process “very stressful”.

An attempt to take his life followed.

After this he received psychiatric help and said he felt better than he had in some time.

On May 25 this year Mr Smith had not come to work and his colleagues, became concerned for his welfare. The police were contacted.

Officers forced entry into his home and found him hanged, wearing a mask.

“Mr Smith had a reported interest in breath play,” the coroner’s officer told the inquest.

“He may have been engaging in breath play causing him to slump down and his restrict his airway, ending his life.”

He said that there were no notes found at the property and no indication that Mr Smith intended had to take his life.

A post mortem report found a blood alcohol level of 175milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood - equivalent to twice the drink drive level.

There was also a therapeutic level of tranquilisers present in his blood that, consumed with alcohol, may have increased their toxicity. The cause of death was given as hanging.

Pembrokeshire Coroner Mark Layton recorded a conclusion of death by misadventure.

“There is nothing here to suggest that this was an attempt at suicide,” he said.

“Breath play is the intentional restriction of oxygen to the brain for sexual arousal.

“It is known to be an extremely dangerous practice that can result in death.

“Tragically that is what happened.”