MAN, 48, HAD ‘FOUGHT LOSING BATTLE WITH DRUGS ALL HIS LIFE’
Lodger found assault victim dead on settee
ASSAULT victim Colin Gordon was found dead in his flat after ‘fighting a losing battle with drugs all his life’.
The 48-year-old was found unresponsive by his lodger at their home in London Road, Stoke, after they had both taken drugs.
An inquest has heard how Mr Gordon had been suffering from anxiety following a recent assault.
In a statement to the inquest, Staffordshire Police said: “On November 19, Colin Gordon was at home with his lodger, where they had both been partaking in drug misuse. They both fell asleep.
“When the lodger came to he saw Colin still asleep on the settee. He left the flat and returned at around midnight. He saw Colin was still on the settee and he was not breathing. Paramedics were called. They believed Mr Gordon had passed away a couple of hours before.”
The inquest heard Mr Gordon had increased his drug taking following the assault.
Sister Angela Marsden said her brother had started using illegal substances at a young age after being ‘hit really hard’ by the death of their father. In a statement, she said: “He fought a losing battle with drugs all his life.”
A toxicology report discovered Mr Gordon had taken heroin before his death. He also had several prescribed drugs in his system, including the heroin substitute methadone.
Pathologist Dr Mark Stephens said: “The deceased had been unwell for some time with a chest infection. He was in treatment with the community drug and alcohol team.
“This man has clearly died as a result of bronchopneumonia. Chronic drug and alcohol use predisposes to pneumonia. There is evidence of the recent use of opiates. These drugs cause respiratory depression.”
The inquest ruled Mr Gordon died from the ‘combined effect of natural disease, chronic drug and alcohol use and acute drug toxicity’. Assistant coroner Sarah Murphy said: “I find this was an accidental overdose.
“I would like to extend my condolences to the family of Mr Gordon for his untimely death.”