Tragic Wigan dad’s death after drugs cocktail

Martin Gladwin, 43, was found dead at his home in Hindley on June 15 after loved ones became concerned that they could not contact him.

An inquest at Bolton Coroner’s Court heard he had been devastated by the end of his marriage to wife Jessica and learned the previous day that she had a new partner.

A post-mortem examination found he had taken several illicit drugs, including cocaine and heroin.

His cause of death was mixed drug toxicity, with left ventricular hypertrophy and fatty liver disease also present.

Coroner Peter Sigee recorded he died by suicide, after Mr Gladwin’s mother and stepfather said they believed he intended to end his life.

Mr Gladwin spent seven years in the army, serving in Bosnia and Afghanistan with the Queen’s Lancashire regiment.

He did various jobs afterwards and had two children with Jessica, but their relationship broke down.

Mr Gladwin struggled after the separation and he began using cannabis and cocaine.

Jane Wilson, an advanced nurse practitioner at Lilford Park Surgery in Leigh, said he was prescribed anti-depressants in September 2020.

But a month later he was hospitalised after cutting his neck with a razor blade and taking an overdose of tablets.

In November, Mr Gladwin admitted he was still taking illegal drugs and had sold possessions to buy them.

By December he said was getting help from recovery service We Are With You and a veterans’ group.

Susan Fitzmaurice, from We Are With You, told the coroner Mr Gladwin was referred to the service in November last year with a 20-year history of cocaine use.

He said he remained abstinent at several appointments, but ceased contact with the service in early 2021.

Mr Gladwin was hospitalised again in March after he stopped taking anti-depressants and said he felt suicidal.

But he left Wigan Infirmary before a mental health assessment and refused to return. A welfare check by police was requested and a multi-disciplinary team referred him back to his GP the next day.

Despite concerns by his family that staff were not aware of his previous issues and more could have been done, Mr Sigee said the GP surgery was made aware and he would not issue a report to help prevent future deaths.

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