A MAN who was experiencing chronic back pain died after taking an overdose of prescribed medication, an inquest heard.

In what coroner Richard Taylor described as a ‘inadvertent’ action, Daniel Albert Pomfret died in his mother’s home after taking a cocktail of prescription drugs to help with the pain, an issue he had been suffering with for many years.

The inquest heard how the 42-year-old had been ‘doubled over’ in pain in the sitting room before he made his way up to his bed, where he was found dead a number of hours later.

Mr Pomfret’s mother, who had gone up to the room to check on him, suspected he had taken too many of his painkillers - which is something she said he would do from time to time to help him get to sleep.

The results of tests performed on Mr Pomfret’s body revealed that there were excessive levels of prescribed medication in his system, including methadone which he had been taking since coming off drugs some years ago.

A statement read: “It appears the blood methadone concentration was in the range encountered in fatalities.

“Amitriptyline and Benzodiazepine were also found in his system, among other drugs.”

A medical cause of death was offered as acute aspiration pneumonia, brought on by the intoxication of prescribed drugs.

Coroner Mr Taylor said that while he understood Mr Pomfret, of Redvers Road, Darwen, had used drugs many years ago, he was now doing very well and was engaging with drug service Inspire.

But he added: “He also had a chronic back problem and for that he was taking painkillers.

“It seems to be he simply struggled with the pain.

“If somebody is prescribed various medications, and is suffering, and may sometimes take a little too much of those medications, and dies as a result, that is not a drug-related death.

“That is not an intent to end your own life. That is a person trying to self-medicate but getting it wrong. And it strikes me that’s what has happened here.”

Concluding, he said: “I’m aware of his spinal problems, which were very debilitating.

"He was prescribed medication and he fought a long battle by overcoming past drug misuse all those years ago.

“I will record that Mr Pomfret died having ingested an excess of prescribed medication.

“I will return here a conclusion of misadventure.

"This was the unintended outcome of an intended action.”