A TOP Scotland Yard race relations adviser who felt he was unlucky in love died in a Brighton hotel room after injecting himself with a lethal shot of insulin.

Diabetic Matthew Windibank, 39, was discovered in bed by a housekeeper at the New Europe Hotel in Marine Parade, a Brighton inquest heard.

Farewell letters to friends found near the body on March 21 had been written aweek before he died.

One of the most respected race relations experts in the country, Mr Windibank joined the Metropolitan Police as an adviser in January.

He had been looking forward to making positive changes after the force was heavily criticised over its handling of the investigation into the death of black teenager Stephen Lawrence.

Mr Windibank told friends he was going to visit a friend in Brighton for the weekend before checking into the hotel.

A file he had written saying how he wanted his funeral conducted was later found at his home in Gibbon Road, Kingston, Surrey.

Close friend Sgt Paul Cahill said Mr Windibank had had only one full-time relationship in the seven years he had known him and sometimes felt lonely.

He said: "In his mind he had everything professionally, but this one aspect of his life was failing him and was beyond his grasp."

Pathologist Dr Nigel Kirkham said the cause of death was low blood sugar caused by an injection of insulin.

Averdict of suicide was recorded.

After the case, Sgt Cahill said: "He would have made a big difference. He was regarded as the expert in the country."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.