A HAMPSHIRE man with mental health problems may have been dead for more than a month before he was found, an inquest heard.

Darren Frew, 45, was discovered at his home on after his neighbour reported a smell coming from his flat, as well as maggots and flies outside his door.

Officers broke down the door at the home in Manor Road, Winchester, but discovered Mr Frew lying naked on the floor.

They also found the shower had been left running and that the flat was in a state of disarray, and despite carrying out an investigation, it was deemed unlikely that anyone else was involved.

Winchester Coroner’s Court heard that due to the “advanced” stage of decomposition pathologist Dr Hayley Burnley was unable to determine a cause of death.

The inquest also heard that Mr Frew had a history of depressive episodes, borderline personality disorder and was possibly schizophrenic. He had also used drugs in the past, including heroin and LSD.

Members of his family who attended the inquest said he was known to trash the flat during a deterioration in his mental health, before going on a cleaning spree. Recording open conclusion, assistant coroner Simon Burge said: “Darren’s flat was in some disarray.

"We simply don’t know if Darren did this in a spell of poor mental health, it may have been someone else.

"Police are satisfied on balance that the disarray was Darren.”

Mr Burge added that he was unable to give a cause of death, nor a specific date of death, but said it must have been sometime “between July 28 and end of August”.