FAMILY and friends of a homeless man have paid tribute to the former maintenance engineer.

Michael Nulty, 52, died in his friend Mark Hobb’s home in Gibbs Crescent, Oxford, on Christmas Day, after taking a cocktail of methadone and alcohol.

Father-of-six Mr Nulty, originally from Lancashire, had a history of alcohol misuse and was a regular at Luther Street Shelter, in Oxford.

Oxford Coroner’s Court was told in the months before he died he had been drinking heavily. He was also an occasional user of heroin and methadone.

Mr Nulty turned up at his friend’s home on Christmas Eve “a bit worse for wear”, the court heard. They had a few drinks and Mr Nulty went to bed.

The following morning Mr Hobbs found his friend had died.

A post mortem examination revealed he had taken methadone, was four times over the legal drink-drive limit, and had choked on his own vomit.

His son David Nulty, of Witney, said: “He’s going to be missed. He was a good father, and when he was on game, a great father.”

Coroner Nicholas Gardiner recorded a verdict of accidental death.