A MAN from Rhyl with a history of substance misuse had consumed high levels of alcohol and taken cocaine in the lead-up to his death, an inquest concluded.

John Andrew Ridgeway was found dead aged 54 in his room at Ty Golau, emergency homeless accommodation run by ClwydAlyn on Clwyd Street, Rhyl on November 17, 2022.

At a full inquest in his death, held in Ruthin today (July 18), David Pojur, assistant coroner for North Wales East and Central, gave a conclusion of a drug- and alcohol-related death.

Mr Pojur provided a medical cause of death of alcohol and cocaine toxicity, contributed to by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

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Born in St Asaph, Mr Ridgeway had been a resident at Ty Golau intermittently since 2015.

Linda Williams, a ClwydAlyn support living manager, said he had suffered with alcohol and substance misuse, as well as mental health issues, for “as long as I knew him”.

On the evening of November 16, 2022, the night before his death, Ms Williams said Mr Ridgeway spoke to staff at the accommodation about debts he owed, and was advised by them to contact Citizens Advice.

The next day, another resident told staff that he had found Mr Ridgeway collapsed on the floor in his room.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed on him, and though a defibrillator was sought, it was not in working condition.

Mr Ridgeway was unable to be revived, and was pronounced dead at approximately 9.30pm on November 17.

Suzanne Conway-Jones, a substance misuse worker, said she began working with Mr Ridgeway in January 2022.

At that time, she said, Mr Ridgeway was using up to six bags of heroin and four pipes of crack cocaine, as well as drinking lager with a nine per cent alcohol content, daily.

Mr Ridgeway also smoked cannabis, and attended hospital for a respiratory tract infection in May 2022, before later being re-admitted following his discharge to be treated for pancreatitis.

PC Angharad Roberts, who attended Ty Golau on November 17 with a colleague, was told that Mr Roberts had been struggling with his breathing and coughing up blood.

Among the items found in Mr Ridgeway’s room were nicotine inhalers and patches, antidepressants, paracetamol, a small amount of money, three “burner phones”, and two lighters.

Dr Mark Atkinson, who undertook Mr Ridgeway’s post-mortem examination, found alcohol present in his system at “levels of severe intoxication”.

It could not be determined whether cocaine use caused his death, though while found at a level below the drug-driving limit, its effects may have been exacerbated by the heavy alcohol intake.