A "VULNERABLE" man found dead by a passer-by in a Worcester park died after taking drink and drugs, an inquest has found.

Neil Jones, 31, was found dead in Fort Royal Park in Worcester on July 31 last year, Worcestershire Coroner’s Court heard on Tuesday.

The court heard the family man died after taking heroin and drinking alcohol.

A post-mortem carried out by a pathologist at Worcestershire Royal Hospital revealed a 'high level' of heroin and alcohol in his body.

He was unhappy at his bail hostel in Stafford where he had been staying and wanted to be nearer his family.

His mother, Mary Jones, said at the hearing: “To me Neil was kind, fun-loving, loyal, respectful and went out of his way to help others. He was a lovely lad, very caring.”

Mrs Jones told the assistant coroner her son had problems with alcohol and had been in prison last year which related to his behaviour when he drank, serving three months of a six month sentence.

Mr Jones was released on May 22, recalled then re-released on July 3 last year and went to live at at Staitheford House, in Stafford, on July 8 where he was living until he died.

Mrs Jones saw him regularly and told the assistant coroner: “He absolutely hated being there. He hated being away from his family."

She stressed that her son had stopped using heroin while in prison and wanted to continue that way but that, during the course of his stay at the hostel, he ‘gradually deteriorated’ and was upset because he had always previously had contact with his three children.

His mother said: “I seriously believe his way of coping was to go down the heroin route. He was trying so hard to keep off it."

The court heard that Mr Jones had been referred by the probation service to an available hostel bed which she described as the ‘best available option’ at that time.

Mr Jones had overcome his heroin use and she believed he could do the same for alcohol, his mother told the court.

Mr Jones's hostel key worker Paul Croft described him as 'vulnerable' and 'unhappy' about being at the hostel which he admitted 'wasn't ideal'.

Mr Croft described Mr Jones's death as ‘a real shock’.

Mr Jones had on one occasion, on July 27 last year, cut one of his wrists while at the hospice said he later said he did not want to harm himself and this was 'a one-off'.

Mr Jones was tested daily for alcohol use and had tested positive. His main issue was alcohol rather than drugs at that time, Mr Croft said.

Kim West, approved premises manager at Staitheford House, said Mr Jones was referred to them at short notice but she would have expected more detailed discussion about the frequency of drug testing.

She said: “There needs to be a much clearer conversation and point of referral.”

She was challenged by Mrs Jones about whether it was appropriate to discontinue supervision on July 28, one day after Mr Jones had harmed himself, but said that decision had been based on his own feelings and he did have a GP appointment scheduled.

Assistant Worcestershire Coroner Andrew Cox said lessons should come out of Mr Jones' death.

"Neil was not a hopeless case. He was a man who had his problems but there was scope for him to have a meaningful recovery and a valuable role.

"He was a father. It is desperately sad that things have taken the turn they have.

"It seems to me there was confusion in terms of the licence and confusion in terms of whether there was to be drug testing to meet the requirements of an approved premises or to meet definite national standards."

He recorded a conclusion that Mr Jones died as the result of an accident.

Speaking after Mr Jones' death last year, his mother described him as "a very sensitive and caring person".

"He had three children which he adored. Everyone who knew him, liked him," she said.

"His friends, and he had a lot in Worcester, have sent me messages saying how much they thought about him. They said he was a good friend and was always there when they needed him and that they would miss him terribly."