A man who was found dead at his Falmouth home took over five times the lethal dose of an antidepressant and nearly twice the lethal dose of a prescription painkiller, an inquest has heard.

Neil Russell Irons, 61, was found by his friend and carer Ian Coles at his flat in High Street on February 13 after having taken a combination of drugs for which he had not been given a prescription.

Mr Coles had gone to the flat after Mr Irons had failed to meet him at the Arwenack Club as expected and, |finding the door locked, had used a key which he had to open the door, before finding Mr Irons inside and calling an ambulance.

DC Simon Rafferty of Falmouth Police Station told the assistant coroner that there appeared to be no suspicious circumstances or third party involvement in the death of Mr Irons.

He also said that Mr Irons “appeared to have quite a hectic lifestyle” who suffered with “chronic alcoholism” and was suspected of using drugs, adding it |was “quite an unhealthy lifestyle, it’s fair to say.”

The inquest heard that Mr Irons had a history of depression, and had suffered problems with circulation which had led to the amputation of toes on his right foot “some time ago,” and his last contact with his doctor had been in January when he was given a one week prescription for diazepam.

Recording an open verdict, and the main cause of death as overdose, assistant coroner Andrew Cox said he was satisfied Mr Irons died of his own hand, but there was “very little evidence” that he intended |to kill himself, as there had been no |notes found, or any messages on phones or computers.

He added: “While I suspect that this death is the result of a deliberate overdose, there is insufficient evidencefor me to| be sure that Mr Irons intended to take his own life.”