A WOMAN left her boyfriend on a sofa for several hours after his death as she believed he was sleeping off the effects of the night before.

Winchester Coroner’s court heard how Charles Hazeldine had spent the previous evening drinking cider and taking cocaine with his girlfriend Gemma Grout at her home.

Ms Grout said: “He was doing cocaine and used the toilet to do it.”

The inquest heard how at just before midnight on January 20 the 33-year-old had left the property for a short time to buy more cocaine.

“I tried to stop him doing more drugs. I heard him swaying in the toilet while he did it. He said he was doing it to wind me up,” she said.

Mr Hazeldine then fell asleep on the sofa. The next morning Ms Grout left the electrician on the sofa until about 1.30pm as she believed he was asleep.

“I made him a bacon sandwich and went to wake him. I called but he didn’t respond. Then when I went to kiss him I saw that his lips were blue.”

Ms Grout then called an ambulance, however, paramedics found he had been dead for several hours.

PC Andrew Venning who attended the scene said that he had found drug paraphernalia in Mr Hazeldine’s trouser pocket.

Mr Hazeldine, of Beaucroft Road, Waltham Chase, had a history of recreational cocaine use and had previously confessed to his brother Jack Hazeldine that he had been regularly taking the drug.

“He told me he had stopped,” he said.

Pathologist Dr Balvinder Shoker who carried out the post mortem said that he did not find any natural cause of death, but that Mr Hazeldine’s heart had been enlarged.

A toxicology report from Peter Streete found cocaine in Mr Hazeldine’s blood but it was at recreational levels.

Dr Shoker concluded that although he could not find any definitive cause of death, but on the balance of probabilities the cocaine was the most likely cause.

Senior Coroner Grahame Short said: “We do not know the precise time of his death, but I am satisfied that his death was due to drug toxicity.”

Mr Short concluded that Mr Hazeldine’s death was drug related.

After the inquest the family released the following tribute: “Charlie was an amazing brother and son. He was loved by everyone he met and was a very well respected gentlemen in the Meon Valley area. He had a very successful landscaping and gardening company and had just fully qualified to become an electrician which made him well known around the area as a lovable giant as he was 6,8”.

“He had a great love for all animals and nature and had a dog he loved and a very impressive tropical fish tank. He was soft and kind and would help anyone he could. Charlies popularity was proven at the high numbers of attendees at Charlies funeral.

“Please stress that the circumstances of Charlies death have no relation to his personality.

The statement ended: “It is a true waste of life.

“Charlie will be greatly missed by all his family and friends.”