HE was on the path to recovery, attempting to get his life back on track after a history of drug abuse and violence.

But John Harrison couldn't control his heroin addiction, injecting himself in a hospital toilet the day before he died.

Winchester Coroner's Court heard how the 31-year-old, of Shirley Warren, had been admitted to Southampton General Hospital on November 23 last year with an abscess on his groin – an injury he had sustained from a needle.

However, whilst doctors attempted to help Mr Harrison, he was sneaking off to take illicit drugs brought in by his long-term girlfriend Carly Hamilton.

The inquest heard that, along with heroin, the Southampton man was also taking Pregabalin – used to treat epilepsy and anxiety – which he kept in a crisp packet. He was also prescribed medication by hospital staff who were unaware of the other substances he was consuming.

At 6am on December 1, nurses found Mr Harrison in a comatose state and were unable to revive him.

The court heard how toxicologist Dr Peter Streete found the level of Morphine in the 31-year-old's blood was 0.36mg per litre. Death can occur from as little as 0.07mg per litre, depending on tolerance.

Pathologist Dr Adnan Al-Badri said Mr Harrison died due to the combination of drugs he was taking.

"The drugs levels that we found in him would, on their own, not have affected him," Dr Al-Badri told the court.

"However, because of the combination and the types of drugs being consumed, they would have slowed his brain function and this would have resulted in death."

The Southampton man had been arrested on multiple occasions in his life, even spending time in prison for GBH and threatening a shop owner with a knife.

However, it was heard that he was trying to get his life back on track by attending the New Road Centre in Southampton. The centre helps to tackle drug and alcohol addiction.

Senior coroner Grahame Short said Mr Harrison's death should not have happened.

"This death, I think, was a complete shock to the whole family," said the coroner.

"It should not have happened. He was a young man and he had a chance to recover from this drug addiction but, sadly, he was not able to resist the pull of the heroin he was addicted to."

A spokesman for University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust said: "Mr Harrison's clinical team provided the best care possible to him in difficult circumstances.

"Our thoughts and sympathies remain with his family following their loss and we will continue to support them in any way we can."

The coroner concluded a verdict of a drug related death.