A DEPRESSED man died after taking a cocktail of alcohol and pain medication he stole from his family, an inquest heard.

Unemployed Johnathon Cann, 28, spent the evening drinking beer and vodka with friends before swallowing a lethal dose of pills which were prescribed to treat his uncle’s severe spinal injury.

Security guard Hayden Buckingham, was staying with his nephew’s bedsit, in Endsleigh Gardens, near Wanstead, for a few days as his wife was being treated in Royal London Hospital.

Walthamstow Coronor’s Court heard that Mr Buckingham woke up on January 31 to find Mr Cann drowsy and unresponsive in his bed.

In a statement he said: “I shook Johnathon and he mumbled but did not wake up properly. So I got my things from the communal driving room and drove off home like I intended to.

“It wasn’t until a few days later that I noticed lots of pills were missing from my case.”

When Mr Cann failed to make an appearance all that day the other tenants of the house began to worry.

Neighbour Peter Fry said: “We had a very happy evening. I had seen him drink that much vodka before and he was drunk but not out of control.

“When I came back the next evening and he was still in his bedroom we thought that was strange. So we went in his room and realised straight away that he was dead.”

Police were called to the scene but found no drugs, drug paraphernalia, or any sign of struggle or foul play.

Pathologist Dr Michael Heath attributed the cause of death to an opiate overdose.

The court heard that Mr Cann had attempted suicide twice previously and was being treated for depression.

However, presiding coronor Dr Elizabeth Stearns said that she didn’t believe he intended to end is own life by taking the pills as there was no suicide note and he had only consumed a maximum of 15 tablets.

She recorded a verdict of accidental death.