Marc Gillett, 29, of Clement Hill Road, was found by his girlfriend Rosie Merko after she became concerned after not hearing from him for several days.

An inquest into Mr Gillett's death, which happened on August 11 last year, took place on Wednesday.

Miss Merko said: "We had an argument three weeks before his death as I found out he was using heroin again.

"He gave me what he had left and I flushed it down the toilet.

"One day we got a taxi into town but he got out on the way there and I got angry because I knew he was going to take drugs."

She said Mr Gillett became 'hooked' on the drug and had bruises on his arms from where he had injected it.

Miss Merko said: "By August 9 I had not heard from him for a few days which was quite unusual as he text me every day.

"I went around to his flat the next day and saw that the post had not been opened. I heard the telephone ringing so I knew there was something wrong."

Dr Paul Seal, Mr Gillett's GP, said he had a history of depression in recent years as well as psychosis.

He told the inquest that his patient started feeling suicidal in 2004.
Dr Seal said: "He was getting very paranoid and abusing alcohol.

"In early 2006 his drinking increased and he was drinking a bottle of vodka a day and taking cocaine.

"He was seen by the Action for Change team in March of that year and underwent a detox program.

"In March last year he was admitted to the Conquest hospital due to deliberate self-harm with alcohol abuse and again in August last year."

Coroner Alan Craze recorded a verdict of death from dependence on drugs.