A Denbigh man who had struggled to overcome his dependency on prescription drugs appeared to have “turned the corner” but was then found dead at home, an inquest heard.

“Things were going well for him at the time,” said assistant coroner David Pojur at an inquest in Ruthin.

Sean Blackwell, 36, had recently started a job as a sales executive and was feeling much more positive about things in general, according to his GP and his brother Paul.

Mr Blackwell was found lying on his bed on June 30 and, after a post-mortem examination, pathologist Dr Huyam Abdel Salam said that, although therapeutic levels of other drugs were found in his system, the cause of death was heroin poisoning.

His brother told the hearing that Mr Blackwell was not a habitual user of heroin.

“He wasn’t a junkie,” he commented.

Mr Pojur read statements outlining Mr Blackwell’s medical history and involvement with the mental health and substance abuse services, but things were becoming much more positive.

“He did struggle with anxiety and depression and had been self-medicating but I am satisfied he did not deliberately take heroin. It didn’t fit in with what was happening,” he said.

Recording a conclusion of misadventure, he commented: “There is no evidence that he knew that heroin was something he had taken and he clearly did not intend the outcome. He may have thought it was something else.”