Lancashire Coroner heard Longridge man became reclusive after being the victim of two vicious attacks

Two vicious assaults turned a man into a nervous and reclusive figure who seldom left the bedroom of his home in Longridge, an inquest was told.

Despite support from his "doting" parents, 44-year-old John Paul Mack became dependent on heroin which he injected into a badly-infected leg in the privacy of his room, hidden away from his family.

And by the time medical help reached him it was too late, assistant coroner Laura Fox heard. He was found collapsed behind his bedroom door in Bowland Close and was "largely unresponsive."

He suffered two cardiac arrests at the Royal Preston Hospital and was put into an induced coma from which he did not recover.

A pathologist revealed he died from sepsis, with intravenous drug use a contributing factor. He also had COPD and asthma.

A family statement read out by the coroner said that in recent years, and particularly since the Covid lockdown, John had "become more and more reclusive, even at home, spending most days in his own room."

His history of drug abuse had begun with recreational drugs at school and art college.

But two "vicious" attacks were the beginning of a long battle with anxiety, depression, panic attacks and agoraphobia. Those feelings troubled him for the rest of his life, the statement revealed.

Born in Kent, John moved up to the Ribble Valley to live with his parents at the age of 28, but remained depressed at times. Losing his job made him feel even worse, said his family.

It was in 2014 that he first admitted to his family that he was addicted to drugs. He was injecting heroin and had scars and ulcers on his leg.

Despite several attempts at detox and rehabilitation, prompted by his parents, he always went back to his habit, borrowing large amounts of money to fund the addiction. He became unable to sleep at night and slept instead during the day. His appetite became spasmodic and at times he would go for days without eating or drinking unless his parents intervened.

Unknown to his family his leg became infected and he tried to deal with it himself without asking for help. On June 30 this year an ambulance was called when he collapsed behind the door of his bedroom. But he could not be revived.

A family doctor told the inquest John had been opiate dependent since 1997 and had suffered from anxiety and depression. He had started injecting heroin in 2010 and was also using the anxiety drug diazepam.

Coroner Laura Fox said: "He (John) was clearly a much-loved son and brother and was given every chance to recover by his doting parents. They did everything they could to help him.

"But despite their best efforts he continued with drugs. His addiction got the better of him."

She reached a conclusion of "drug related death."