A coroner said drugs are "the evil of life” after finding that a 26-year-old died two days after Christmas in hospital following a history of drug use. Luke Jeffrey Aldred died of septicemia at Royal Bolton Hospital as a result of chronic use of multiple different Class A drugs, the Coroner's Court in Bolton was told.
The Bolton man struggled with addiction throughout his life and despite having times where he managed to recover from it, unfortunately relapsed, his family told the court. The coroner heard how Luke discharged himself from hospital on a number of occasions between November and December 2021 for illnesses relating to his intravenous drug use.
He was admitted to hospital shortly after Christmas 2021 where he died on December 27.
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His grandmother Valda Aldred described him as an “intelligent and articulate young man” when he was growing up, but drugs took over his life. She explained in her statement that his drug use started with cannabis as a teenager and led to harder drugs later down the line.
“Drug addiction destroyed his life,” she said. “This is despite attempts from his family and friends to help and support him.
“He did not want to die. He was dearly loved and will forever be in the hearts of his family. He did have some detoxification times from drugs but he did go back to using them.”
She also explained how her grandson lost his way and got involved with drug dealers - the wrong crowd.
His paternal grandfather, Jeffrey Hartley, said: “He will be sorely missed by his family. This is very, very sad.”
Luke, of no fixed abode, was suffering from infective carditis - an infection caused by bacteria that enter the bloodstream - as a result of his drug use and received treatment for this. He was even on the list for a valve replacement in his heart but discharged himself before this could be done, his doctor at RBH said in a statement.
His family thanked the hospital staff and all the medical professionals that supported him through his addiction and illness. The coroner, Professor Dr Alan P Walsh, found this in his summary, where he said “the help was there, but he could not break that addiction.”
“I accept that he died as a consequence of using drugs intravenously,” he said concluding. “This is a drug related death. Many people still die as a result of using drugs. Drugs are the evil of life.
“Then the family suffers the grief after trying to help and support them. It is a true tragedy for him to die so young. My sympathies are with the family.”
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