THE death of a 29-year-old Nelson man remains a mystery after his mother told an inquest: "I think his drink had been spiked".

James Pickford, of Bentley Street, was found dead at a friend's house in South View, Nelson, June 15 this year.

Pathologist Dr Abdul Al-Dawoud a combination of the toxic effects of alcohol, a high level of methadone and prescribed drugs caused his death.

He said the amount of methadone found in James would have little effect on someone who had used it before but could be fatal for those who had not. He also said the methadone could have been in his body for up to three days.

James' family told the inquest he was not prescribed methadone and had never used it.

Acting Coroner Richard Taylor read out a statement by James' mother, Catherine Eyre.

Mrs Eyre, also of Bentley Street, said James had been suffering from hepatitis. He had stayed his friend, Kay East's home, on June 13 and 14.

She added that she believed her son's death may have been caused by his drink being spiked with drugs.

DC Raymond Entwistle, of Nelson CID, said he had interviewed Kay East, along with Steven Bastable and John Holden, who had also been at South View on the Thursday night.

He said there were a number of unopened lager cans and empty cans in the kitchen when he arrived on Friday as well as drug-related paraphernalia including empty packets of methadone needles.

DC Entwistle said Steven Bastable had left the house before the police arrived but said he had tried to resuscitate James.

Steven said he had checked his breathing and pulse during the night put James into bed at 6am when Kay said she could look after him.

He knocked on the door at 3pm and realised James he had passed away.

DC Entwistle said Steven had referred to James as 'off his head' and had stated that John Holden had Valium with him but he had not see him give anything to James.

Kay East told police she had heard packets of tablets being popped open and thought John might have given James some tablets during Thursday night.

John Holden, in his police statement, said he had gone to South View on the Thursday with 56 prescribed Valium tablets, intending to share them. He said he may have given 12 to 15 tablets to Kay but almost certainly did not give any to James or Steven.

DC Entwistle said: "We interviewed everyone on suspicion of supplying controlled drugs but none of the interviews could be relied upon totally due to the conditions of the people we were dealing with. They contradicted each other in relation to who used what drugs and who gave what drugs to who.

"The scenario was that drugs were shared and that if someone was short they would be given them by their friend. We were trying to establish if there had been any malicious administering of drugs but that did not come to light."

Recording an open verdict, the coroner said: "I have heard that James was someone who had problems and he had clearly had too much to drink and taken too many pills but he was someone who, according to those close to him, had never taken strong drugs like the methadone we heard about.

"There was quite a considerable amount of methadone in his system and it can't be said when that was taken.

"We have had no direct evidence today as to how or why that methadone came to be in his system.

"It's abundantly clear that we can't be sure as to whether he did knowingly or unknowingly take methadone."