A WINCHESTER man was found dead in his flat wearing just his boxer shorts after taking a cocktail of drugs, an inquest heard.

William ‘Bill’ Taylor was discovered on the sofa of his Lawn Street home by police after concerns for his welfare were raised.

Winchester Coroner’s Court heard how Mr Taylor, who lived alone, had a long history of intravenous drug addiction and drug paraphernalia was found by officers on a nearby table after they forced entry into his home.

His friend, Claire Walsh raised the alarm on the morning of September 3 after attempts to raise Mr Taylor or enter his flat had failed.

Ms Walsh had last had contact with the 53-year-old two days previously, when Mr Taylor had text her to ask Ms Walsh to come to his flat and wake him the following morning for a planned trip to Weymouth.

Ms Walsh said: “When I arrived the next morning the door was locked from the inside and the TV was on. I assumed he was still asleep. Sometimes he would just sleep all day.

“I text him several times that day and got no response. I text him to say I would be round the next day and to text me to let me know he was OK.”

The next day when Ms Walsh returned to the flat neither she, nor a neighbour could gain entry to the premises as the door was dead bolted from the inside, so she decided to call 999.

A toxicology report showed how Mr Taylor had lethal levels of methadone, cocaine and heroine in his blood.

Pathologist Dr Hayley Burnley, who conducted a post mortem, said the three drugs had a cumulative effect which caused Mr Taylor’s death.

PC Daniel Harfield who attended the scene said he could find no evidence of a suicide note and that the police did not suspect foul play.

Recording a conclusion of drug-related death, senior coroner Grahame Short said: “It can’t be determined whether his body could no longer take the drugs or if he simply took an amount on that evening that caused a coma and death.”