A TEESSIDE man found staggering along the A66 with his penis and testicles cut off may have died from auto-erotic asphyxiation, a coroner has ruled.

Kelvin Hewitt, known to friends and family as Kelly, was discovered in his caravan on a travellers’ site in South Bank, near Middlesbrough, covered in blue paint with a ligature around his neck and what remained of his penis.

The 41-year-old steelworker had a history of self-harm and depressive episodes, Teesside Coroners Court heard this morning.

Acting Senior Teesside Coroner Clare Bailey was told how Mr Hewitt had been found in a distressed state on the A66 in March last year and was hospitalised for several weeks as a result.

Throughout the police investigation Mr Hewitt refused to help officers identify any possible assailant resulting in family members believing he caused the injuries himself.

Today, the court heard that the father-of-six and grandfather-of two had a ‘dark side’ and was prone to depression when he would lock himself away and often shave his hair off.

His stepfather, Gary Hawkan, said: “He told me who was responsible and he would sort it out. He was ready for payback and revenge.

"In the end we never looked for anyone, telling him I think he did it himself.

"He was a fighter, he was a strong lad who knew how to look after himself, you would have thought he would have been covered in bruises and the caravan would have been trashed.

“He got angry and it was never discussed again.”

He told the coroner that Mr Hewitt managed to blag his way out of hospital without any sort of medication and never took up an offer of counselling.

Talking of the day he was found dead, he added: “He did have his demons and a dark side. It is possible it was some kind of sexual gratification gone wrong. I thought Kelly was on the road to recovery, which is surprising with all that has happened to him.”

The court heard he had a history of self harm including a possible attempt on his life in 2001 and there was also an incident when he crashed his car into a field near Boulby Mine, in east Cleveland.

Mr Hawkan said his stepson was tormented by his own demons but he had never been assessed for mental health problems.

In Detective Sergeant Paul Husband’s evidence about the A66 incident, he said: “Mr Hewitt was involved in an accident on the A66 having had his penis and testicles removed with a blunt instrument.

“However, after a lengthy police investigation, it was believed Mr Hewitt had caused the injuries.”

After the discovery of Mr Hewitt’s body, he said: “Kelvin was found to be covered in blue paint with a strap round his neck and another around the base of his penis."

Pathologist Mark Egan’s report said there was no evidence of third party involvement and it could have been asphyxiation as a result of auto-erotic activity.

Coroner Clare Bailey said Mr Hewitt was under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time of his death and recorded the cause of death as asphyxiation.

She said: "I am satisfied he passed as a result of misadventure - he didn't intend the fatal consequences. Kelly loved his family dearly and could be a very happy gentleman."

Miss Bailey ruled his death was due to misadventure.