A BUILDER who suffered an opiate addiction died hours after he was found in a malnourished state.

Mark John Knight, of Salisbury, lived with his mother Doreen in Stockton and took prescribed codeine to help with arthritic pain.

The 50-year-old builder became ill at the age of 20 and had been taking medication for the past 30 years.

During this time, he developed an addiction to painkillers and also began self-medicating with alcohol.

An inquest held at Wiltshire and Swindon Coroners Court on July 11 heard that Mr Knight was "very depressed" about how his "health was affecting him so much".

Read more: ​What happens at an inquest and what can the press report?

At 8.33pm on January 1, 2022, Mrs Knight checked on her son in the night to find him "unwell and on his back" in the living room.

He was due to go into hospital the next day and had been "off his food" in the days leading up to this, drinking only fruit squash.

Mrs Knight called an ambulance which arrived at 9.25pm and Mr Knight was transported to Salisbury District Hospital.

While in hospital Mr Knight suffered two cardiac arrests and a seizure and was pronounced dead at 2.06am on January 2.

Wiltshire and Swindon's area coroner, Ian Singleton, recorded the cause of Mr Knight's death as one of dihydrocodeine toxicity and malnourishment.

Mrs Knight said her son was "loved by all who knew him", adding: "He was a kind, considerate, thoughtful, caring young man. 

"I loved him."