A SOUTHAMPTON man was found dead in his car several days after taking a cocktail of drugs.

John Martin Grimshaw’s body was discovered outside his Romsey Road flat by his friend and landlord, Jane Pratt.

Ms Pratt, who described the 46-year-old as a “model tenant”, had become concerned for his welfare after he had gone silent on social media and had not paid his rent.

She said: “He had not been on WhatsApp, which concerned me as he was always on social media.

“I noticed the rent had not been paid which was odd because he always paid on time.”

Ms Pratt had last seen Mr Grimshaw on the evening of November 7 and said he appeared in good spirits.

An inquest heard how Ms Pratt went to check his flat two days later and found it empty.

She told the court that when she left the property, she noticed that his car was in the parking space allocated to the flat.

On the morning of November 10, she woke at 4.30am with a feeling that something was wrong.

“I got to the flat at 7.20am.

“I walked over to the car and found Martin in the driver’s side.

“I knew he was dead.

“I touched the back of his neck and it was stone cold”, she said.

Ms Pratt then called the emergency services who arrived shortly after and confirmed Mr Grimshaw’s death.

Mr Grimshaw had a long history of drug abuse and was attending Cocaine Anonymous.

A toxicology report found that Mr Grimshaw had taken a cocktail of drugs.

Pathologist Adrian Bateman concluded he had died of a mixed drug overdose.

Assistant coroner Simon Burge ruled out suicide, saying that there was no evidence to suggest it.

Mr Burge concluded that Mr Grimshaw’s death was drug-related.

After the inquest Mr Grimshaw’s friends,who did not want to be named, paid tribute to him, describing him as a “wonderful man” and “a great friend”.