A HAMPSHIRE man died after overdosing on drugs and being twice the drink drive limit, an inquest heard.

Michael Barnett was found unconscious in a flat in St Mary’s Street, Southampton and despite the best efforts of paramedics he did not regain consciousness.

Winchester Coroner’s Court heard how on the day the 38-year-old died in Cranbury Avenue in St Mary’s he had been drinking with his brother Richard Barnett.

He told the hearing he did not see his late brother take any drugs, and said he would never usually take recreational drugs.

Hours after leaving the pub Michael Barnett had allegedly been seen taking drugs with Christian Ward, according to Gurmal Singh, who called the ambulance in the early hours of September 1.

A report from South Central Ambulance service stated that when emergency services arrived, Mr Ward allegedly attacked one of the paramedics with a needle. 

The inquest heard from pathologist Dr Eleanor Jaynes, who said that the drugs in his system were a variety of medical drugs - none of which were prescribed to him which were at therapeutic and raised levels, there was also cocaine found in his system which was at the recreational level.

Mr Barnett was also found to be twice the drink drive limit, Dr Jaynes concluded that the cause of death was mixed drugs toxicity. 

PC Richard Baker from Portswood Police Station was one of the officers who arrived at the scene, he said the flat was full of unused needles and other drugs paraphernalia, he said the death was treated as non-suspicious.

He said that no statement was taken from Mr Ward as he was not in an “appropriate frame of mind”, and police later could not get hold of him, and he refused to give a statement when they did.

Senior coroner Grahame Short recorded a verdict of a drug and alcohol related death.