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Painter found dead in cupboard had taken heroin overdose
A PAINTER and decorator was found dead in a caretaker’s cupboard after telling his partner he was going after “scumbags” who had stolen his money, an inquest has heard.
John Newton, 40, was discovered lying by needles and drug bags in the dark room in a council block in Bassett Street, Gospel Oak.
His partner, Marie Fountain, told St Pancras Coroner’s Court on Tuesday he had phoned home just hours earlier and said his wallet had been stolen by a man from Barbados.
“He said he was going after some ‘scumbags’ and that they had stolen his money,” said Ms Fountain.
“He said he didn’t know where he was. He told me he loved me and he would be home soon.”
Mr Newton, who had a history of alcohol and drugs addiction, was found slumped “on all fours” by youth worker Kyriakos Kyriakou on October 1.
Mr Kyriakou told the court hard drugs were sold in the block and that “undesirables” were often seen loitering around the stairwell.
Written evidence read to the hearing from Mr Newton’s consultant, Christos Kouimtsidis, said that the 40-year-old from Hertfordshire was known to drink eight cans of super strength lager and a litre bottle of rum – around 65 units – every day.
His crack and heroin habit had cost him up to £100 a day, the consultant’s report said, but he had recently entered into a “contract” to quit drink and drugs in return for a detoxification programme.
Ms Fountain told the court her partner was “clean” and that no drugs, other than prescribed medication, would be found in his bloodstream.
But toxicology reports compiled by Home Office pathologist Dr Freddie Patel revealed Mr Newton had taken more than twice the fatal limit of heroin shortly before his death.
St Pancras coroner Dr Andrew Reid, recording a verdict of misadventure, said the cause of death was an accidental overdose of heroin.
He added: “I am satisfied that on the balance of probabilities, Mr Newton bought heroin.
“I am not satisfied that he took an overdose with the intention of ending his life. He accidentally took an overdose to which he was not tolerant.”
Police Constable Phil Brown, from Kentish Town, said the death was “non-suspicious”. |
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