A Little Venice father, whose wife was expecting their fourth child, was found dead in the back of his minicab a few hundred metres from their house, a court heard this week.

Fears were raised over the whereabouts of Lotifur �Rahman, 36, after he left home on August 31 this year and had no contact with his family for two days.

When he was tracked down by his brother on September 2, Mr Rahman was found �lying on the back seat of his car having died from alcohol poisoning. Westminster Coroner’s Court heard that Mr Rahman had been arguing with his wife due to the couple’s financial difficulties.

He had started drinking heavily on a regular basis despite being a devout Muslim.

On August 31 he left his home on Downfield Close, seemingly heading to work.

But his brother was unable to contact him for the next two days so searched the �local area.

He found his brother in his cab round the corner from his home on Formosa Street.

PC Philip Ducker said there appeared to be nothing wrong from outside and “people would have passed and thought there was a man sleeping”.

He added: “The top part of his head and neck were propped up on the doorframe inside. The rest of his body was lying across the seat.”

Coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox said his wife “had been unconcerned” about his disappearance which was not unusual. She ruled death by misadventure caused by alcohol poisoning.