Paranoid addict found dead in Burnley (From This Is Lancashire)

Paranoid addict found dead in Burnley

2:52pm Thursday 25th October 2012 in News

A BURNLEY man’s life began to fall apart as his addiction to amphetamines went out of control, an inquest heard.

Alfred Leverett, 49, became increasingly paranoid and removed all the internal doors at his home in Kent Street, the town's coroner's court was told.

And, when friends went to clear out the property after his death, they found hundreds of tiny crosses covering the walls.

He was eventually found dead having collapsed on the footbridge between Trafalgar Street and George Street, Burnley, on February 26.

A post-mortem exam by consultant pathologist Dr Walid Salman found that Mr Leverett had a high concentration of cannabis and amphetamines in his system.

His friend Ronnie Houghton, of Kyme Street, said the deceased had visited him earlier that night and had taken both drugs.

Eventually Mr Leverett left but had to turn back on Active Way when he realised he had left his house key behind.

Mr Houghton said he was “frantic” and he tried to calm him down.

He feared Mr Leverett was “going to have a heart attack”, saying: “I think he had gone too far with it (amphetamines).

“If you do it too much then this paranoia sets in.

“It was a shame but he let the drugs get the better of him.”

Recording an accidental death verdict, East Lancashire deputy coroner Mark Williams said that sadly his drugs use had led to his death that night.