A drug and alcohol user was found dead in his flat in Kendal by a neighbour, an inquest has heard.

Michael John Lawson was discovered unresponsive by his neighbour, who had gone to check on him as he was concerned for his health, at Victoria Apartments, Longpool, at 11.30pm on March 10, 2024.

The 46-year-old was pronounced dead by a paramedic shortly after midnight.

A statement was submitted to Cockermouth Coroner's Court by a friend of Mr Lawson's. 

He said he had met Mr Lawson around six or seven years ago when he had moved to Carlisle.

His friend said that around a year prior to his death, he had successfully encouraged Mr Lawson to move to Kendal with him as he was 'getting into a rough crowd that were not treating him well'.

Mr Lawson, who suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, had been engaged with Recovery Step Cumbria since October 2021 on a dual opiate and alcohol pathway, having taken over from previous addiction services.

In December 2023, he was exhibiting signs of liver failure, reporting that he drank around two litres of spirits a day, the inquest heard.

A statement from Mr Lawson's father said he had found his son around three years ago after his ex-wife had refused him access since his early childhood.

He said he was given an address in Carlisle after 'years of searching' for his son unsuccessfully.

He said that upon visiting his flat, it was obvious that Mr Lawson was 'heavily into drugs' using a mixture of cocaine and heroin.

The statement said he tried to support his son by giving him food and money but that he used the money to buy drugs and the last contact he had with him was when he moved to Kendal.

On February 23, 2024, he was admitted to Lancaster Royal Infirmary with worsening shortness of breath and remained there until he was discharged on March 7.

Mr Lawson's friend, who he had moved to Kendal with, said he had 'put a lot of weight on out of nowhere', 'looked yellow', and 'could hardly breathe'.

He said that on March 10 at around 2.30pm, he had walked Mr Lawson to Boots in Kendal for his methadone prescription and a journey that should have taken 'five to ten minutes', took 'nearly two hours' as Mr Lawson was so short of breath.

Assistant Coroner for Cumbria Margaret Taylor heard Mr Lawson had been drinking vodka with several friends throughout the course of the evening.

This included a neighbour who said that he had left his flat to go and watch some football and checked on Mr Lawson at around 11.30pm when he made the tragic discovery.

Ms Taylor accepted the medical cause of death of aspiration pneumonia, concluding that Mr Lawson's death was drugs-related.

She said that the level of methadone in his system was within the range associated with fatality and tests also detected an amount of alcohol, cocaine, and other prescription drugs.

Ms Taylor said that the 'concoction' of drugs he had been taking had led to his death.