Former murder suspect's drugs and booze-related death

6:02pm Monday 24th March 2008

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A MAN who was charged with Blackburn's most infamous unsolved murder has died from a drug and alcohol-related condition.

David Leek was one of three people accused of murdering horse dealer Leslie Jackson in 1990.

All three were charged ten years after the victim's body was found at his home in Sussex Drive, Audley.

But all three had the allegations against them dropped because the Crown Prosecution Service felt there was not enough evidence.

Now an inquest into Mr Leek's death has revealed that the 43-year-old Accrington man died of multi-organ failure.

The inquest heard that Mr Leek, of Wellington Street, had been worried because two men, who had been jailed for an assault on him, were due to be released around Christmas.

His mum, Marina Hoole, said he had been drinking more than usual and was concerned they may come looking for him.

She also revealed that her son had tried to kill himself with a heroin overdose years earlier when he was wrongly charged with the murder.

The inquest heard there had been suspicions Mr Leek had injected heroin shortly before he was rushed to hospital.

But post mortem tests had shown only a small amount of heroin in his blood when he was admitted to hospital on Boxing Day.

Mr Leek's son, Simon Ryan, said he had been at his dad's flat with others on Boxing Day when he complained of feeling unwell and went to the toilet. He was later found on the floor.

Dr Richard Prescott gave the medical cause of death as multi-organ failure due to bronchopneumonia with long-term drug and alcohol abuse contributing.

Coroner Michael Singleton recorded a verdict of natural causes.

Mr Jackson's blood-soaked body was found at his sheltered bungalow in Sussex Drive, Blackburn, in November 1990.

It is believed to have been there for two days before being found.

During the murder investigation more than 100 officers scoured the country following up leads.