AN inquest heard how a 37-year-old man from Braithwaite died at his home after taking a drug overdose.

Last Friday's (Dec 19) hearing into the death of Robert Keith McLarnon, of Bankfield Mount, was told that he was found dead in his flat on July 30, after his visiting cousin raised the alarm.

The court heard how Mr McLarnon had been seen taking a cocktail of drugs and alcohol in his flat the previous day.

Assistant coroner Mary Burke said Mr McLarnon, who was born in Keighley and was single, had a history of drug dependency and was referred for drug and alcohol support to combat this back in 1997.

However, she added: "He had become clear of illicit drug use having regularly attended the Airedale Fresh Start Drug Clinic. His last attendance there was on July 24 and the test at that time showed no evidence of any drugs in his system."

She explained how prior to his death Mr McLarnon was being prescribed a heroin replacement called buprenorphine.

She said that during June and July he had requested prescriptions for diazepam from his GP and from Airedale Fresh Start, but that these requests were declined.

Reading from a statement made by Mr McLarnon's cousin, Luke Mills, she said Mr Mills had been staying with Mr McLarnon at his flat from July 28.

"Mr McLarnon appeared to be his normal self, he didn't seem depressed," she said.

"On July 29 Mr McLarnon took an ecstasy tablet and later that day took a number of diazepam tablets, drunk several cans of lager and took nitrazepam tablets."

Mr Mills left the flat at 2.15pm and on his return at 7pm saw Mr MacLarnon in the bathroom, with a needle sticking out of his left arm.

He said he later saw Mr McLarnon take more ecstasy and diazepam before going to bed at 1.30am on July 30.

Mr Mills checked up on his cousin at 3.30am before he went to sleep on the sofa, and checked him again at 10.30am after he had woken up. Both times he assumed Mr McLarnon was asleep in bed.

However, when he checked him more closely at 1pm he found Mr McLarnon was unresponsive so summoned help from a neighbour who in turn called the emergency services.

Mrs Burke said: ""DC Cooper of Bradford CID attended and said there was a syringe in a glass on a shelf near the bed and a scarf at the side of the bed which seemed to have been used as a tourniquet.

"DC Cooper confirmed there was no evidence of any suspicious circumstances."

Mrs Burke said: "Mr McLarnon's cousin saw him take alcohol, a number of diazepam, nitrazepam and ecstasy tablets and suspected that he'd also injected himself with heroin. This is backed up by the toxicology report.

"I propose to record that Mr McLarnon's death was drug related."