Drug death man had undiagnosed heart condition

COUN I N I PO IG N

A “LOVING” 26-year-old man with an undiagnosed heart condition died after taking a cocktail of drugs, an inquest heard.

Thomas Phillips, from Cefn Coed, was found dead in his flat by his family on November 26 last year.

Cardiff Coroner’s Court heard yesterday that Mr Phillips, the youngest of four siblings, had consumed alcohol, cocaine, MDMA and cannabis in the hours before his death.

The inquest heard Mr Phillips, a ground worker, suffered a broken pelvis in a car crash in 2010 which may have caused the heart condition.

Mr Phillips’ family described him as a “fabulous, loving” man who loved travelling and said he was not a regular drug user.

South Wales Police detective sergeant Lisa Cartwright told the inquest they received a 999 call at around 7pm on Sunday, November 26, from his family.

After forcing entry to the flat Mr Phillips’ dad performed CPR for around 20 minutes before he was declared dead.

DS Cartwright said a statement given by Mr Phillips’ friend Ben Snape said he and Mr Phillips had met on the Saturday evening to go out drinking.

Mr Snape described Thomas as “drunk” and in “good spirits” while they were out.

After the pair left Koolers night club in Merthyr Tydfil Mr Phillips became involved in an altercation where he was headbutted, causing him to bleed from his nose and lip.

After police attended the scene Mr Phillips and Mr Snape left with two other friends for Mr Phillips’ flat, stopping for a bottle of vodka on the way. Mr Snape said Mr Phillips, who he described as being “well known” for taking substances and partying, began snorting lines of cocaine.

Another friend, Kimberly Jones, arrived at Mr Phillips’ flat at around 4am.

Ms Jones said Mr Phillips had around 10 orange tablets and that he consumed some with vodka.

She said Mr Phillips told her he did not know what the orange pills were and that he also used poppers, typically a liquid sniffed from a small bottle, and smoked cannabis.

After the party ended Mr Phillips’ friends left and he was later found dead in his living room.

Pathologist Dr Stephen Leadbetter said a toxicology report found cocaine and MDMA, also known as Ecstasy, in Mr Phillips’ system.

The inquest heard Mr Phillips’ earlier injury caused by the headbutt played no part in his death.

The cause of death was recorded as cocaine toxicity in a man with outerzone myocardial fibrosis of uncertain aetiology.

Assistant coroner Sarah Richards recorded a narrative conclusion of “drug-related [death] in the context of myocardial fibrosis”.

She said: “As a result of his car accident he may have suffered a fibrosis of the heart and as a result of that probably made him more vulnerable to cocaine toxicity.”

Speaking after the inquest Mr Phillips’ dad Andrew Phillips, 53, from Cefn Coed, said his son and the family were “totally unaware” of any underlying heart condition.

He said: “He was a party boy. He was a fabulous, loving kid.

“I knew he had been up to things [but] he was not a regular drug user.”

After being hit by a taxi in 2010 Andrew said his son received compensation which he used to travel across the world.

He said: “He was nearly killed in the crash. It was horrific. “But he turned his life around.” Andrew added his son had a passion for fishing and loved being outdoors.