A HOMELESS drug abuser was found dead a month after he was released from prison, an inquest heard.

The death of the 36-year-old man was “most probably” caused by an overdose of heroin after his tolerance levels dropped while he was in prison.

Gareth Harrison’s body was found in a property in Bury Road, Breightmet, on August 28, a month after he left HM Prison in Preston, in July last year.

A substance abuser since his early 20s, Mr Harrison had served four weeks of an eight-week sentence for theft.

Bolton Coroner’s Court heard that although attempts had been made by Shelter to find accommodation for Mr Harrison on his release, he was registered at no fixed abode and therefore his whereabouts proved difficult to monitor. Assistant coroner John Pollard said: “This is a very sad story. When someone has been out of the drug scene for a period of time like he was in prison, tolerance levels will drop.

“There was a cocktail of drugs in his system and his body couldn’t take it any longer and that caused his death.”

Dr Emil Salmo, consultant histopathologist at Royal Bolton Hospital, who performed the post-mortem examination, said: “A combined drug toxicity arising primarily from morphine and heroin use was found and this most probably led to his overdose.”

Mr Harrison did seek help from Shelter on occasion, but because his attendance was so irregular and he was usually under the influence, assistance was rejected, the court heard.

Senior probation officer, Georgina Wardlesworth said although he had shown some willingness of compliance, it was difficult to know Mr Harrison’s whereabouts from day to day and so no enforcement action was taken.

She said: “His release date was brought forward and he had no registered address so unfortunately no support was made available to him.”

Mr Harrison attended Masefield Primary and Little Lever High School, was never married and had no children, the court heard.

After leaving school he worked with his father fixing cars but soon after his father died he started drinking heavily, using heroin and hanging around with the wrong people, according to his brother Michael Harrison, who attended the inquest.

The assistant coroner gave a verdict of misadventure, stating that Mr Harrison’s death was a deliberate action but with unintended consequences.