The heartbroken mum of a man found dead in a city centre toilet says she cannot bear to walk past the spot almost six years after his death.

Stefan Pursell, 32, was discovered in a cubicle in Canterbury Lane in 2010 when a Serco worker went to close the block for the evening.

Speaking outside an inquest into her son’s death last week, Elizabeth Pursell, of Grafton Rise, Herne Bay, said: “Six years later, I can’t even go to a public toilet any more.

“I can’t even walk past that place where he was found as when I go to walk there my legs just go from beneath me – they go like jelly.”

Mr Pursell was living temporarily in Greenhill Gardens, Herne Bay, at the time of his death.

A drug user for many years, the inquest at the Guildhall in Sandwich heard how he had been released from prison on April 12, 2010, before being found dead almost a month later on May 5.

In a statement read out at the hearing, Serco worker George McGowan told how he found Mr Pursell. He said: “I called out to the occupant at the other side of the cubicle, but got no response.

“I thought he was drunk or asleep, so I opened the door from the outside and found the man slumped in a sitting position.

“I tried to raise him by shaking him, but got no response.

“It was at this time I saw a syringe and needle on the floor near his hand.”

The inquest heard how Mr Pursell had been in the city to pick up a payment from the JobCentre with his friend Emma Long on the day he was found dead.

They were looking to buy a games console when a police officer arrested Miss Long in the High Street.

Miss Long told the hearing: “He wanted me to go with him and I was a bit worried because he said he wanted to die and was going to get himself some drugs and kill himself.

“He said he wanted to buy a games console so we were going to walk down to the games shop and have a look at what he could get. We were nearly at the shop and all of a sudden, the police pulled up and arrested me.

“I am sure I did say to them that I was really worried about him because he said he wanted to kill himself – I do remember saying something like that.”

PC Darren Dennett, who arrested Miss Long and spoke to Mr Pursell at the scene, said he had “absolutely no concerns” about his welfare.

He said: “I do believe he told me his name, but I had no concerns about his health, safety or wellbeing. I do not recall Emma making any comments about his health, safety or wellbeing.

“If someone said they were going to take their own life, I would have acted on it.”

The inquest was adjourned until Thursday, July 28.