David Hockney's assistant Dominic Elliott drank ACID at artist's home after drink and drugs binge Dominic Elliott was at famous artist's home in Bridlington, East Yorkshire Took cocaine, ecstasy and temazepam before drinking acid, inquest hears Hockney's former partner John Fitzherbert drove 23-year-old to hospital Elliott's mother says he dropped out of university after partying too much A studio assistant to artist David Hockney died after swallowing bleach during a drink and drugs session with the millionaire artist's former partner, an inquest heard yesterday. Dominic Elliott, 23, was in a relationship with Hockney's ex John Fitzherbert and the pair ended up in bed together after their all-night session while the painter slept just down the corridor at his home. Mr Fitzherbert, who is in his early 60s, told the inquest in Hull that after spending most of the day sleeping he was woken at 4am on Sunday March 17 by his young lover asking to be driven to hospital. Friends: Renowned artist David Hockney (left) employed keen sportsman Dominic Elliott (right) as an assistant He said he found an open bottle of toilet cleaner - which was 95 per cent sulphuric acid - in the bathroom sink but "didn't connect" the two. Mr Elliott "slouched forward groaning and grunting" during the 45-minute journey to Scarborough General Hospital but was pronounced dead soon after his arrival. He would have died in agony and suffered shocking internal injuries, the inquest was told. Mr Hockney, one of Britain's most successful artists and worth around £37million, did not attend the inquest but he submitted a statement. He described how he shared his home in Bridlington, East Yorkshire, with his ex-partner and two other male studio assistants, but had his own room where he slept alone. Mr Hockney said he knew Mr Elliott, who had his own home in the town, only on a professional basis but described him as a "Jekyll and Hyde character" when drunk. Scene: Mr Elliott was taken to hospital from David Hockney's home (pictured) in Bridlington, East Yorkshire Mr Hockney said he saw Mr Fitzherbert at midnight on the Saturday but noticed "nothing out the ordinary." He said he knew nothing about drug-taking that night and was asleep when Mr Elliott was taken to hospital. He was woken by an assistant at 9.30am and told of his death. Mr Fitzherbert told the inquest that he had been Mr Hockney's partner for 24 years, but the pair split amicably four years ago. They remained friends and continued to share the five-bedroom house in Bridlington. Mr Elliott, who had a relationship with Mr Fitzherbert before he went to university, became an assistant for Mr Hockney after dropping out. Mr Fitzherbert said Mr Elliott came to see him on the Friday night before his death. He was upset about his exclusion from a Vanity Fair photoshoot of Mr Hockney and his team by the leading photographer Annie Leibovitz. Hockney painted this portrait of Dominic Elliott in 2008, left. Hockney's former partner John Fitzherbert, right, had smoked cannabis and drunk alcohol with Elliott during the course of the day, the inquest heard The two men spent the night alone together in Mr Hockney's house drinking and taking drugs, with Mr Elliott snorting cocaine. The following day they were in bed when they heard Mr Hockney leave the house. Mr Fitzherbert said Mr Elliott was "laughing hysterically" and leapt out of bed before throwing himself off an internal balcony. Mr Elliott could not explain his behaviour but Mr Fitzherbert said he was "prone to random behaviour" when drunk. They smoked more cannabis but spent most of the day sleeping until Mr Elliott asked to go to hospital. A post-mortem examination revealed cause of death to be ingestion of sulphuric acid "associated" with taking drugs. The pathologist said Mr Elliott had a "significant quantity of ecstasy" in his system and that would have "exerted influence at the time of death." Sportsman: Mr Elliott (right) is pictured playing for Bridlington Rugby Club against Heath last November Talented: This 2004 painting Four Roads and Cornfields is a prime example of Hockney's much-loved artwork