A WHITEHAVEN man who had a long history of mental health difficulties was found dead at home by care workers after taking drugs, an inquest has heard.

Jon Liam Pears Norman, 36, was found in his flat in Birley Court on June 5, 2024, by support workers from the Richmond Fellowship who visited him regularly as a condition of his discharge from a mental health hospital.

According to a statement by a care worker, on the morning of June 5, a Richmond Fellowship service manager became concerned when they had had no contact from Mr Norman, and could hear his phone ringing inside his flat.

She had called the police, and asked support workers to wait for the police at the property.

Before police arrived, Mr Norman's father emerged from his flat, which was below his son's in the same building, saying he was 'really worried' as he hadn’t heard from him, despite him usually visiting every morning.

He said that he had last seen his son the previous afternoon, saying he 'seemed OK', but that he 'knew he had taken something', and advised him to go to bed for an hour, before his son left.

His father had a key for his flat, so let the support workers into Mr Norman's home, where they found him unresponsive, and called police back at around 6pm to inform them of the discovery.

A statement submitted to Cockermouth Coroner’s Court by Mr Norman's mother said that he had sustained a head injury after being assaulted at 12 months old, and was diagnosed with learning difficulties and had behavioural problems as a child.

She said that she had to home tutor her son after he was excluded from both primary and secondary school, and as an adolescent, 'started hanging around with older people'.

She said: "Because he was vulnerable, he would do as they asked and he thought they were his friends.

"He ended up being introduced to Valium which he became addicted to, and it took him down a dark road."

His mother said that he spent 18 months in a youth detention centre, but after release, 'history repeated itself'.

She said he started taking Valium again, and began having psychotic episodes.

When she sought help from the mental health crisis team, she said there was 'nothing much they could do', until Mr Norman 'agreed to himself that he needed help'.

Mr Norman spent was convicted of assault in 2017, and transferred to Roseberry Park mental health hospital in Middlesbrough, from where he was conditionally discharged in June 2020.

He had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, and was to have regular contact with key workers and social workers, and to abstain from illicit drugs and alcohol.

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A statement from a social worker said that she had first met Mr Norman in July 2023.

She said that 'in the first eight months it was clear he was doing very well', and a review in March 2024 noted he was 'complying with conditions', and appeared 'well, settled and happy'.

A statement from his GP said that Mr Norman had consulted with him on April 30, 2024.

They noted that he had a history of paranoid schizophrenia 'complicated by substance and alcohol misuse', and that his treatment was 'heavily medication-focused'.

Mr Norman was 'absolutely insistent' he be prescribed tramadol, an opiate-based painkiller, for a flare up of back pain, rather than co-codamol, which he found not to effective.

The GP said that he prescribed a two-week course of tramadol to Mr Norman.

The statement said that later that day, he received a call from a social worker asking for Mr Norman to not be prescribed tramadol in future, as he was 'slurring', and it was not safe to prescribe.

He agreed to hand the tramadol to care workers.

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The social worker's statement said that in a further conversation later in April, Mr Norman appeared 'bright'.

Assistant Coroner for Cumbria, Ms Margaret Taylor, said that his care was 'appropriate'.

Ms Taylor said: "It was a problem that he seemed to be in denial.

"This is understandable as it would jeopardise his release, but it meant it was difficult to have an open relationship with Jon."

Ms Taylor concluded that Mr Norman's death was drug-related, caused by aspiration of gastric contents, after taking bromazolam and tramadol.

Mr Norman’s mother said: "Jon had a kind heart, he would give you his last penny.

"If you needed a helping hand he would help you even though he needed the support himself.

"He was very close to his brother, his niece and loved us all dearly.

"It was always me and Jon from the day he was born."