A County Durham man who had a history of drug and alcohol use was found dead sat up right in bed "about a week" after he was last seen by his neighbours, an inquest heard.
Police had to force their way into the home of Jonathan 'Johno' Clark-Stewart from Spennymoor on May 21 days after he was last seen by loved ones, an inquest at Crook Coroners' Court heard today.
The 51-year-old, who was known to often use drugs and drink an excess of alcohol is understood to have picked up his partners' prescription on her behalf days earlier on November 15 and took them.
A post-mortem examination concluded the combination of drugs and alcohol proved fatal to Jonathan.
The inquest heard that police were called to Jonathan's house after friends and neighbours raised the alarm about this "unusual" behaviour - and they forced their way inside when they did not receive a response.
A statement read out to the court, written by PC Taylor of Durham Constabulary stated: "He had not been seen by his neighbours, nobody saw him for about a week which was unusual."
Upon entry, they found Jonathan upstairs in his bed sat upright.
The court also heard that a number of alcohol bottles and cans as well as medication were subsequently found in his home.
Friend Julie Burnside, who had known Jonathan for nearly 20 years, paid a heartfelt tribute to him in a statement read to the court.
She said: "He was a loving and caring man who would do anything for anyone and he was our world. I was like a big sister to him."
She told the court that Jonathan, socially, would often detach and need some time alone but would always check back in with close friends to reconnect and that he would "never hurt himself deliberately".
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Coroner Dr Leslie Hamilton concluded that Jonathan's death was alcohol and drug related.
He told the court: "Here I have a 51-year-old man who had a history of using alcohol and taking an excess of prescription medication but in this occasion he
"I will record that his death was related to drugs and alcohol. There is nothing to say that he took anything to intentionally take his own life."
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