By James Johnson

Last updated at 10:03, Tuesday, 05 June 2012

A CORONER ruled that a man found dead at his home took his life when “the balance of his mind was disturbed”.

An inquest heard that Jonathan Blades, 30, was found hanged at his Morton Street home in Carlisle on November 14 last year.

North and west Cumbria coroner David Roberts found that Mr Blades had struggled with use of drugs including GHB in the past and that this contributed to his mental state at the time of his death.

Mr Blades had been found unconscious in 2007 after an overdose of GHB and since then had problems with the drug, although leading up to his death he was managing to overcome this struggle.

Mr Roberts said: “His behaviour had changed substantially and he had become angry and upset.

“He made threats that he wanted to end his life.

“The only plausible explanation is that he died by his own hand.”

Mr Blades had worked at a number of jobs including as a gardener for Carlisle City Council.

But after he began using GHB his life and personality changed.

Mother Catherine Whitear wept as she said: “He was a normal loving boy but he was never the same afterwards. When he came off it there was nothing there and he struggled after that.

“I was proud that he had fought it and he seemed to be getting a little better. But he seemed so angry that last month – he was full of anger, not towards me but to himself.

“I was very proud of him – I never thought it would come to that.”

In the week before his death Mr Blades was visited by two members of an NHS crisis team.

When they entered his home they found him in an agitated state, shouting that his neighbours were watching him.

His house was in an untidy state and during their initial conversation he smashed his phone on the ground.

He told them that he had thoughts about killing himself but would not do it as long as his dog was alive.

A meeting with a psychiatrist was set up at his home for the following day but the doctor was delayed and arrived two-and-a-half hours after the appointed time. There was no answer at the door.

Several staff from the crisis team tried to find him at his house on November 12 and 13 with no success.

On November 14 the police were called and after entering the property found Mr Blades’ body.

First published at 08:58, Tuesday, 05 June 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk