A heroin addict was thought to have been undiscovered for two weeks following his death, an inquest heard.

The hearing at Folkestone Magistrates Court last Wednesday was told Neil ‘Jamie’ Westhead’s body was found in a flat in Folkestone by police looking for someone in connection with a robbery.

It was not said who that person was but Mr Westhead was later confirmed to have died from a cocktail of drugs.

Police turned up at the flat at Pavilion Court, Marine Parade on the afternoon of January 14.

Det Sgt Steve Rudden told the hearing: “We went to a third floor flat looking for someone concerning a robbery.

“The door was locked from the inside, it was forced open.

"He was a long-term user of heroin. He could never see how he could get off the drug. He loved his family but was cursed with drugs. He was in a poor condition and his health suffered" - Det Sgt Steve Rudden

“The body was seated on a chair but face down on a small table and there was heroin paraphernalia.

“He had last been seen on New Year’s Day. The decomposition was comparable with death around that day.’’

There was no food in the flat except crisps plus alcohol and cigarettes.

DS Rudden told the inquest that Mr Westhead, 44, was unemployed and had been a heroin addict most of his life.

He said: “He was a long-term user of heroin. He could never see how he could get off the drug. He loved his family but was cursed with drugs. He was in a poor condition and his health suffered.’’

A report by pathologist Dr Michael Heath said that cause of death, on the balance of probabilities, was mixed drug consumption.

A post mortem examination found that Mr Westhead had potentially fatal levels of morphine in him, a component of heroin. He also had codeine and low levels of methadone, diazepam and temazapam.

A GP’s report said that Mr Westhead had been in hospital several times for heroin overdoses.

He was found to have hepatitis C last December and had an excess intake of alcohol, at 40 units a week when the maximum for a man is recommended at 28.

Christine Freedman, assistant coroner for Central and South East Kent, gave a conclusion of drug-related death.

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