An inquest into the death of a 27-year-old plasterer found dead on January 18 has recorded a verdict of accidental death.
Jay Michael Radcliffe died at his mother’s flat in Mona Street, Douglas.
Coroner of Inquests John Needham said: ‘Clearly Jay had difficulties and did want to turn his life around, but it sadly didn’t happen. I’m sure he will be greatly missed.’
The full cause of death was given as, ‘aspiration of stomach content as a result of becoming unconscious, due to either the central nervous system depressant effects or the direct toxic effects of the medication that he had been prescribed, mixed with alcohol and also the potential predisposition to arrhythmia caused by the deceased’s existing heart condition being myocardial fibrosis’.
In a statement read out to the court, Mr Radcliffe’s cousin, Ben Garrity, said that they had met on January 17, the day of his prison release, and that he looked ‘really well, healthy and was in good spirits’.
Mr Radcliffe, who had a history of drug misuse, went back to his mother’s flat in Mona Street with his cousin at 4.50pm with some cans of lager.
Mr Garrity said his cousin had gone to sleep on the floor at around 10pm, something he often did after drinking, so he put a blanket over him before going to sleep on the sofa himself.
When he tried to wake Mr Radcliffe in the morning he could not rouse him and said that he felt cold and had vomit coming from his mouth.
Mr Garrity tried to revive his cousin until paramedics arrived but Mr Radcliffe was pronounced dead.
Mr Needham said that there were ‘unknowns’ in the case and that the medical evidence was ‘not particularly conclusive’.
On his release from prison Mr Radcliffe had been provided with three days worth of medication, 50mg of chlorpromazine, 25mg olanzapine and 10mg of diazepam.
Although none of the olanzapine had been taken, it was the only drug found to have a higher level than would be expected in Mr Radcliffe’s toxicology report.
Also 10 of the 12 diazepam tablets were missing but reports indicated that Mr Radcliffe had not taken them. The level of alcohol in Mr Radcliffe system was also low, 76 milligrams, which was lower even than the drink drive limit of 80 milligrams.
Mr Radcliffe had used cocaine in the past and medical reports had showed some damage to his heart consistent in past cocaine users.
Dr Peter Clague who conducted the post-mortem examination said that ‘no definitive anatomical cause could be found’.