A MILITARY chief under investigation for allegedly buying pornography over the internet downed whisky and sleeping tablets before he was found dead in his swimming pool, an inquest heard yesterday.

Commodore David White, 50, commander of British forces in Gibraltar, was stripped of his command 24 hours before he died at his luxury house in Mount Barbary on 8 January this year.

He had been under investigation - as part of Operation Ore - since 15 December, last year.

A laptop computer, discs and a memory chip from a camera belonging to the officer were seized by Ministry of Defence police as part of an inquiry into allegations he had bought pornographic images from a US website.

In a telephone call on 7 January this year, Mr White was told by Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent that his position was "becoming untenable" and that word about the inquiry into his affairs was starting to spread.

When he was instructed to give up his position and return to the UK, his "mental state collapsed" and he was in a "catatonic state of shock", said his brother Rupert, during an inquest in Gibraltar, yesterday.

Less than 24 hours later, his fully-clothed and bruised body was found face down at the bottom of his pool.