Southampton man Gregory Kitson died of drug overdose, inquest hears

Gregory Kitson could have misjudged the quantity of painkiller he had taken, Winchester Coroner’s Court heard.

The 29-year-old of Highfield Lane, Southampton, was found dead on his bed by a flatmate on December 3, 2016.

The court heard Mr Kitson, who studied music at Southampton Solent University, had a history of anxiety and may have suffered from depression.

The hearing was told that he had used alcohol and drugs in the past, but was not under psychiatric care at the time of his death.

Evidence from pathologist Dr Bineeta Foria revealed Mr Kitson had no alcohol in his body at the time of his death but there was an excess of painkillers.

His body was found by his flatmate Matthew Loxham who said he opened the door to Mr Kitson’s bedroom and saw him on his bed, along with traces of blood.

He added: “I closed the door and called 999. His personality was strange.

“I could have a conversation with him. However, it never seemed like he was completely with it.

“I suspected he had a mental health illness but I wasn’t aware.

“It wouldn’t be strange to have not seen or heard from him for a week.

“I think it would be fair to say he was not easy to live with.”

Mr Kitson moved out of his parents’ house last summer.

His father, John Kitson, said: “He used to come over most weekends for a Sunday meal.

“He did have anxiety problems, the severity of them I don’t know.

“We knew sleep was a nightmare – how he managed to turn his bed inside out every night I don’t know.

“He was a very bright boy. Greg was always able to make us feel optimistic that there was a corner to be turned and he was turning it.

“We paid for people to see him in an attempt to help him sort things out.”

The death was not treated as suspicious by police.

Senior Hampshire coroner Grahame Short concluded the death was due to a drug overdose.

He said: “There is no evidence this was a deliberate overdose.

“He may have misjudged the quantity he needed to take.”