Addict lay dead in flat for two weeks

A MAN who lay dead in his Woodley flat for more than two weeks before being discovered died after taking a cocktail of drugs, an inquest has heard.

Ian Andrews, of Martin Close, died some time between January 9 and January 26 this year after taking a number of prescription drugs.

An inquest into his death, held by coroner Alison McCormick at Reading Town Hall on Tuesday, heard how Mr Andrews, who had a history of heroin and crack cocaine abuse, was under the care of drug support service SMART for several years, but in the months leading up to his death he had missed appointments with the service, and had lied to GPs to try to obtain duplicate prescription scripts.

The inquest heard how Mr Andrews had spent several spells in hospital in the last few days he was seen alive.

Mr Andrews attended the Royal Berkshire Hospital on Friday, January 6 after sustaining a head injury from a fall.

He was given 10 stitches to the back of his head, but discharged the following day.

On Saturday, January 7, paramedics received a call from a concerned member of the public who saw Mr Andrews outside the Bosco Lounge, in Woodley, wearing a hospital gown and appearing confused.

When paramedics arrived, it was clear that Mr Andrews had been drinking, but complained of pain to his head.

He was checked over by paramedics who gave him the all-clear and escorted him home.

On January 8, Mr Andrews was back at the RBH complaining of a throbbing headache, but a CT scan revealed nothing untoward and he was discharged with a prescription for codeine to ease his pain.

Mr Andrews was not seen or heard from again until a neighbour called Wokingham Borough Council’s housing officers on the morning of Thursday, January 26 to say they had not seen Mr Andrews from a while, but the lights were on in his home.

Police were called to check the property, and upon entry officers found Mr Andrews’ severely decomposed body lying on the floor of the living room.

Officers were only able to identify him through fingerprint records.

Samples were taken from Mr Andrews’ liver and muscles to determine how he had died, and a toxicology report found a cocktail of prescription drugs, including codeine, morphine, diazepam and temazepam, in his system.

Summing up, Ms McCormick said: “I have considered whether I can come to a verdict of suicide, but there is no evidence that he intended to take his own life or for me to say, beyond all reasonable doubt, that this was suicide.

“I am satisfied that there is no third party involvement, so I will say that Ian Andrews died between January 9 and January 26 this year from the combined toxic effects of self-administered drugs.”

The coroner recorded a drug-related death.