A roofer died after taking a fatal mix of heroin, cocaine and diazepam, an inquest heard.
Hugh Johnstone was found ‘slumped’ in the bathroom of his house on Nelson Street in Accrington. Blackburn Coroners Court heard how he was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital and passed away, aged 56.
Pathologist Dr Richard Prescott found that the interaction of heroin, cocaine and diazepam in his system were the cause of death.
The inquest heard the ambulance service was called at around 12.30am on January 29 by Mr Johnstone’s friend Carla Ball. PC Mohammed Jogee said he was called to hospital to initial reports of a ‘suspicious death’ and that Mr Johnstone had a mark on his groin ‘consistent with a needle mark’.
The inquest heard a bag containing six wraps of an ‘unknown substance’ had been found in his tracksuit bottoms pocket.
Coroner Michael Singleton ruled it was a drug-related death, saying there was ‘no evidence’ as to how Mr Johnstone had received the drugs but the ‘combined effect proved to be fatal’.
He told Mr Johnstone’s family: “I never pass judgement on people’s lifestyles because I recognise life is very complicated.”
