A FORMER drug addict died at his mother's home in Cwmbran after relapsing, an inquest has heard.

An inquest into the death of Krystian Stephen Peter Atherton heard the 44-year-old had a history of abusing heroin, and, at the time of his death in January, had been living in a hotel in Weston-Super-Mare after serving one year of a two-year jail sentence for drug offences.

But, in a statement read out at the hearing at Newport Coroners Court on Thursday, October 18, Mr Atherton's mother Barbara Brennan said her son had been drug-free since leaving prison.

"As far as I was concerned Krystian was no longer dependant on heroin or any other drugs", she said.

Ms Brennan said her son had come to stay with her before Christmas, and had stayed in the following weeks to look after her as she had health problems.

"This was the strongest and healthiest I had seen Krystian in a while," she said.

"He looked like he was taking care of himself and was looking forward to the future."

The inquest heard Mr Atherton had gone out to see his ex-partner on Friday, January 30, and returned at about 11.20pm, speaking to his mother and eating a bowl of Weetabix before going to bed.

The next day, when he had still not got up by 11am, Ms Brennan went to check on her son, and found him dead in his bed.

"I could tell by the colour of his body there was something wrong," she said. "I could tell he had passed away.

"I did still try to wake Krystian because I didn't want to accept he had passed away."

PC Gareth Howlin told the inquest, when officers had searched Mr Atherton's room, they had found syringes and other drug paraphernalia.

And a post-mortem had recorded his cause of death as acute morphine toxicity, as well as possible heart disease.

Senior coroner for Gwent Wendy James said, as Mr Atherton had not been taking heroin for some time, his tolerance to the drug would have decreased, and as a result his body may not have been able to tolerate a dose he would previously have taken.

She recorded a verdict of misadventure.