HEARTBROKEN parents of a dead drug addict today urged courts to impose stiffer jail terms to help wean users off killer narcotics.

Jaime Lee Fitton's body was discovered in a fume-filled car in a Bolton back alley just 100 yards from his mum's home in February.

Bolton Coroner's Court heard that the 22-year-old had pleaded with his solicitor to STAY in prison after learning he was about to be freed, fearing he would again descend into a drugs hell.

Just a few weeks after his release Jaime's body was discovered in an Austin Montego car at the rear of Oxford Grove, Bolton.

The tragedy came just hours after the desperate young man had told his former girlfriend Catherine Diggle: "I'm going to kill myself. You will believe it tomorrow when you see it in the paper that I'm dead."

And yesterday after acting coroner Simon Nelson returned a verdict of suicide, when the balance of Jaime's mind was disturbed, his parents demanded the legal system introduce longer jail terms for drug-related crimes to try to help addicts.

Talking of her son's prison release Jaime's mum, Gillian Hilton, of Crompton Vale, Bolton, told the inquest: "I just think the system let him down.

"If he had had a decent sentence he would have been here today. He didn't mind being in prison. He knew he could get his head together.

"A few weeks after his death his solicitor said to me that Jaime had told him he did not want to come out of prison.

"He thought that if he stayed in prison he would have been able to come off the drugs. I know you can get some drugs inside but nothing like the £60 a day habit Jaime needed."

Earlier the court heard that the former Withins High pupil had spoken about taking his own life on a number of occasions as his heroin addiction took hold.

Last November Jaime had sent a former girlfriend a letter in which he expressed "morbid thoughts", the court heard.

The young dad, whose addiction meant he never got to know his 18-month-old son Joshua Lee, had first turned to drugs as a teenager.

The inquest was told he had attended two rehabilitation courses - one in Coventry and the other in Lytham St Anne's - but had discharged himself early from both courses.

Outside court Mrs Hilton added: "Long sentences should be passed otherwise they're just getting back out on the streets to commit more crime so they can get drugs."