A journalist fatally injured in a collision with a motorcycle was suffering from depression and alcoholism, an inquest heard.

Simon Hoffman, 37, of Freshfield Road, Brighton, died nine days later in hospital from his head injuries.

Moments after the accident in October last year, his father, Paul, came across the crash in Eastern Road, Brighton, and found his son lying in the road, bleeding.

The inquest heard no one witnessed the impact and the driver of the motorcycle, Gary Villis, of Penhurst Place, Brighton, who suffered a fractured skull, had no memory of what happened.

Mr Hoffman, a former editor of Fire Magazine, was described as a clever and popular man by his family.

But he had become an alcoholic and lost his job with a media company in Kent.

His father Paul Hoffman, of Old Coulsdon, Surrey, said the family had been taking it in turns to care for him for several months before the accident.

On that night his son was upset because he had run out of sleeping pills.

A police investigation showed the motorcyclist had not been speeding.

Mr Villis, who has been riding motorcycles for 20 years, had no insurance at the time of the accident and has been reported for prosecution.

Brighton and Hove Coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley recorded a verdict of accidental death.