A MAN from Worcester who was found dead at a friend’s home died after taking heroin possibly for the first time, an inquest was told.

Daniel Kennedy, of Portefields Road, Tolladine, was discovered by his father who had not heard from his son for a few days.

The inquest, in Stourport-on-Severn, was told how Daniel Kennedy had been staying at a friend’s flat in Dent Close, off Wyld’s Lane.

The owner of the flat, Cyril Fletcher, phoned the 19-year-old’s parents to say he had been trying to phone their son but had not been able to get in touch with him.

Father Jason Kennedy went round to the property on Sunday, August 30, to see if his son was there. He looked through the letter box and saw a male body lying on the floor. Jason Kennedy was able to gain entry to the flat by climbing through a balcony window before realising his son was dead. He told the inquest there was a syringe near his son’s body.

He added: “I found it a bit strange that he had no clothes on apart from a pair of boxer shorts.

“There was no spoon or powder on the table and everywhere seemed very clean. I think somebody else was in there.

“I had never seen any signs of my son taking drugs before. I think somebody else was in there while he was doing it, and if there was, why didn’t they help? It all seems a bit fishy to me.”

Worcestershire coroner Geraint Williams said the post-mortem results revealed there were no signs of injury and no evidence of anyone else being involved.

Mr Williams said the amount of morphine in Mr Kennedy’s blood was 117mcg per one litre which was a “very high reading”.

He said the high reading could have been a result of Mr Kennedy’s low tolerance to the drug.

Mr Williams said: “If somebody takes heroin for the first time, even a low dose can kill them. There was no third party involved and he did this to himself.”

Mr Williams recorded a verdict that Mr Kennedy died as a result of the abuse of drugs.

l Your Worcester News was the only member of the media at this hearing.