A MAN who struggled with drug use was found dead at his flat in Rhyl, an inquest heard.

David Fisher was pronounced deceased on July 28, 2023 at the age of 43.

Following a full inquest into his death, held in Ruthin today (May 23), Kate Robertson, assistant coroner for North Wales East and Central, recorded a conclusion of a drug-related death.

Mr Fisher’s medical cause of death was noted as methadone toxicity.

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The inquest heard that Mr Fisher, who had served in the Armed Forces, suffered from substance misuse issues for some time, and had began using heroin in approximately 2005.

“It was like watching a car crash in slow motion… not being able to do anything to help was how I felt,” his sister said.

Mr Fisher was known to the substance misuse service in Denbighshire for a number of years, and was prescribed methadone, which he would collect daily at a community pharmacy.

Roughly a week prior to his death, he attended a planned appointment, where he presented as not intoxicated or sedated, but said he was smoking heroin or crack cocaine two or three times a week.

A police sergeant who was requested to attend Mr Fisher’s address in Rhyl at about 5.10pm on July 28 found a male on the floor of his flat showing “no signs of life or breathing”.

This was identified as Mr Fisher, who was pronounced dead at approximately 5.30pm.

Dr Mark Atkinson, in undertaking Mr Fisher’s post-mortem examination, found a “very high” concentration of methadone in his blood, as well as evidence of “recent cocaine use”.

Concluding, Ms Robertson deemed that Mr Fisher’s excessive consumption of methadone ultimately caused his death.

There was “no evidence at all” before her, she said, of any intention on Mr Fisher’s part to take his life.

“What we do have, sadly for David, is clearly his history of drug use, the support he was having for that, and specifically the methadone he was prescribed,” she said.

She offered her “most sincere” condolences to Mr Fisher’s loved ones who attended the inquest, acknowledging that he had experienced some “very troubled times”.