A PORTISHEAD man who collapsed at his flat had battled a heroin addiction for a decade, an inquest was told this week.

Stewart Homer, aged 30, died on January 8 at Bristol Royal Infirmary, two days after being found slumped on the bathroom floor after drinking, with a syringe by his side.

At an inquest on June 3, Flax Bourton Coroners Court was told that a post-mortem result failed to find any presence of drugs in his body, although this was considered normal because he had died two days after he collapsed.

Adrian Homer, Stewart’s father, who lives in Clevedon, said in a statement his son had battled a heroin addiction for several years and had attended a rehab in Weston.

Stewart, of West Hill, who regularly got through three to four litres of alcohol a day the court was told, was single and unemployed because of illness.

Gail Elliman, deputy coroner, recorded an open verdict and said the death was probably caused by his heroin habit.