Coroner's warning after death of Wigan dad blamed on drug spice

Andrew Stephen Atkinson started taking the synthetic cannabis, known as spice, after the death of his father when he was just 15.

The 30-year-old was found dead on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal towpath at Ince on August 12, after taking the substance once again.

Coroner Alan Walsh heard that Mr Atkinson had complained of chest pains on the morning of his death before he left the home he lived in with his partner Leanne Castles on Heber Street, Ince.

The inquest heard that Ms Castles then found out about Mr Atkinson’s death later that day from a friend.

In a statement read out at the hearing in Bolton, Ms Castles said: “I remember seeing a police helicopter outside which made me feel a bit worried. My friend then phoned me to say they had found Andrew. I went down to the canal and after speaking to an officer who knew him, he said Andrew had died.”

Mr Atkinson’s mum Lisa Mahoney told the inquest that she had last seen her son in Wigan town centre and described his eyes as being “yellow”. She said: “He complained of having back ache and I told him to go to the doctor’s but he wouldn’t do that.

“The next I’d heard after that was he’d been found near the canal.”

Mr Atkinson leaves behind a five-year-old daughter, Lola, whom Ms Mahoney said he “adored” and she described her son as being a “good father” too.

His grandfather Richard Winstanley, whose home Mr Atkinson stayed at regularly following his father’s death, told the hearing that he had last seen him on August 9 and had been aware that he was a spice and cannabis user.

Dr Naveen Sharma, the pathologist who carried out the post-mortem examination, offered a medical cause of death as Synthetic cannabinoid toxicity.

Coroner Mr Walsh recorded that Mr Atkinson’s death was drug-related, and said that the effects of the spice on his body and particularly his heart, would have caused his death.

Mr Walsh said that people who tho took drugs such as spice did not know the potential effects of the drug, particularly on the heart, and he then went on to warn of the potential dangers of taking them.

Spice, which is designed to mimic the effects of cannabis, can have severe debilitating effects and can leave users in a near catatonic-like state.

Users are increasingly seen slumped on the streets in a state of semi-consciousness, often passed out, sometimes aggressive and always highly unpredictable.

Mr Walsh said: “I’m satisfied that Andrew died from the effects of spice on his heart, especially as he had complained of chest pain and pains on his side in the run-up to his death.

“I would like to give a warning that drugs such as spice can cause problems with the heart, either causing it to stop or causing a irregular heart rate.

“If any good comes out of Andrew’s death, it’s that people stop using these drugs because of the risks they suffer from taking them and the jeopardy they place themselves in.”