An epilepsy sufferer died from a seizure likely to have been brought on by cocaine and amphetamine use, an inquest heard on Wednesday.
Darren Roderick Shaw, 36, was found dead at his Fartown home on June 21, Kirklees Coroner’s Court was told.
Although the levels of cocaine and amphetamines found in his blood were not fatal, the stimulant effect of the drugs was likely to have increased the risk of a seizure, the court was told. The inquest also heard that Mr Shaw, an unemployed chef, had periodically failed to take his anti-epilepsy medicine.
A postmortem found no traces in his body of an anti-epilepsy drug that Mr Shaw had been prescribed.
The inquest heard Mr Shaw, who had a daughter, had reduced his intake of drugs and alcohol and this had reduced the number of seizures.
Mr Shaw had been referred to Kirklees Lifeline to tackle his drug problems, but the inquest heard he had failed to engage with the service.
Recording a narrative verdict coroner Mary Burke said: “The substances found in his body were not at a fatal level but were likely to have brought on an epileptic seizure which brought on his death.
Ms Burke added: “Darren had a history of epilepsy and it was known that on occasions he was not taking his epilepsy medicine and it is known that on occasions he took recreational drugs.”
