A BUSINESSMAN suffocated while pleasuring himself with a plastic bag over his head, an inquest heard.

Yoshino Joseph Nomura, known as Joey, was discovered by his partner lying on a bed unconscious wearing only his socks.

It is believed Mr Nomura had engaged in what is known as autoerotic asphyxiation, a practice of deliberately restricting the flow of oxygen to the brain for sexual arousal.

George Harvie of Hervey Park Road, Walthamstow, described the moment he found his partner’s body on returning from shopping trip in November last year.

He said: “He had a bad look on his face. I looked at him. I didn't realise what it was because I was in shock.

“He had a clear polythene bag round his head and he had put a piece of rubber around it. I immediately ripped off the top but it was too late.

"I ran next door to my neighbours. I learnt first aid when I was in the scouts but he was cold and his blood had settled."

Mr Harvie confirmed Mr Nomura had an interest in “breath control to increase sexual enjoyment”.

The self-employed businessman, met Mr Nomura, 39, in a night club six and a half years ago and the pair had entered into a civil partnership 2006.

He said Mr Nomura, an American citizen born in Japan, was planning to visit the Home Office the next day to renew his visa.

In a letter sent to Walthamstow Coroners' Court, Mr Nomura's general practitioner said he had registered with the Wood Street Health Centre but his health was so good he had not been seen by a doctor.

Dr Michael Heath, pathologist, said: "If he put a bag over his head the level of oxygen would be cut off and he would collapse. It is very similar to someone going into a tank of nitrogen.

"He would fall unconscious and would be totally unaware of the danger."

A toxicology report found Mr Nomura had 42mg of wine, equivalent to a glass, in his blood stream and there were no traces of drugs discovered.

Recording a verdict of misadventure, coroner Elizabeth Stearns said: "Mr Nomura was happy and content when he died and would not have known the danger he was in.

"(The couple) should have had a lifetime together."

Michael Hutchence, lead singer of INXS, is rumoured to have died from auto-erotic asphyxiation in 1997, although suicide was registered as the official cause of death.

Conservative MP for Eastleigh Stephen Milligan also died as a result of autoerotic asphyxiation in 1994.