A 27-YEAR-OLD who was found dead in Salisbury city centre will be remembered for being "bright and bubbly" and "a strong individual".

Dean Downes was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services when he was found in the Market Place public toilets on September 8 last year.

Heard during an inquest at Salisbury Coroner's Court yesterday, June 16, area coroner Ian Singleton said Dean had entered the toilets on his own earlier that night, and was later found deceased.

Mr Singleton added that "at some point" Dean had taken "a quantity of heroin".

South Western Ambulance Service, Wiltshire Police and firefighters were called to the scene at around 4am that day, where Dean was found "injured and unresponsive" locked inside a toilet cubicle.

The inquest heard that the incident was not recorded as suspicious as Dean was by himself.

Following his death, a toxicology report revealed that Dean was 0.2 times over the drink driving limit and other traces in his body linked to street heroin.

Mr Singleton concluded death by suicide.

Born in Frome but with a most recent address in Salisbury, Dean had a history of substance use and had started to take drugs at 11-years-old, but had previously been referred to a drug misuse team "as he wanted to sort his life out".

In a statement read out during the inquest, Louise Woodruff described her brother as "bright and bubbly" who "always had to be a strong individual".

It later noted a "worsening in lifestyle" however, adding: "I told him to seek medical advice but he dismissed it and said he was fine."

In a statement from half-sister Ruth Gurdon, it was heard that when she established a relationship with Dean while he was in Trowbrirdge, "his life wasn't great but he seemed happy", adding his general health gradually declined and drug dependency was clear.

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For more information and guidance about mental health and suicide visit samaritans.org. You can call the Samaritans on 116 123.

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