A MAN was criticised by a coroner for failing to attend an inquest into the death of a friend.

The hearing in Middlesbrough was told Stefan Szwarga, 35, died after drinking the equivalent of eight pints of beer, on top of heroin, diazepam and cannabis resin.

Pathologist Dr David Scoones said: "The drug levels were not particularly high for a drug user but, combined with the alcohol, would have contributed to respiratory failure."

Unemployed Mr Szwarga died in Jonathan Hall's maisonette, above a fish and chip shop in The Wynd, Marske, east Cleveland.

Mr Hall made a written statement to police but failed to attend yesterday's inquest.

Teesside Coroner Michael Sheffield said: "Mr Hall in his statement denied Mr Szwarga had taken any drugs at his maisonette that night, but he had been warned to attend here to give evidence. He has failed to attend which does not give him any credit at all.''

In his written statement, Mr Hall said that when Mr Szwarga, whom he only knew as Stef, called at his home, he described himself as being "smashed".

"I presumed he was drunk on beer or cider,'' said Mr Hall.

Later that evening, he and a friend, Lee Helm, discovered Mr Szwarga in a collapsed state on stairs outside the flat.

Mr Szwarga's mother, Wendy Bennetts, of Hambleton Road, Marske, identified her son's body.

Mr Sheffield recorded a verdict of death by misadventure on Mr Szwarga, who had been living at the Primitive Old Chapel, Boosbeck, east Cleveland.