Telford man found unconscious on bed had drug-related death
A man who died in hospital two days after being found unresponsive at a property in Telford suffered a drug-related death, a coroner has concluded.
Marc Ian Bennett was found unresponsive after having taken the strong painkiller Fentanyl, which was described in the post mortem examination as extremely potent.
The inquest into the death of Mr Bennett, 30, from Stirchley, Telford, was held at Shirehall on Tuesday by Coroner for Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin John Ellery.
He explained that Mr Bennett was found unconscious on a bed at the home of Lorna Hardy in Madeley on July 19.
An ambulance was called and he was taken to the Princess Royal Hospital, where his death was confirmed at 10.07am on July 21. A post mortem examination from Dr Katherine Harrison, found a cause of death as opioid toxicity, however Mr Ellery said this was not down to heroin or morphine.
He said it was down to Fentanyl, and in her statement Dr Harrison described it as a, “powerful painkiller, which has never been licensed and has been sold as a ‘designer drug’.”
Mr Ellery said: “There is no evidence Marc intended to kill himself, and I can exclude suicide as a possible explanation.”
He recorded a conclusion of a drug related death.
The family had raised concerns over how Mr Bennett had obtained the drug.
