A RESIDENT died in his bedroom at a York homeless hostel from the combined effects of alcohol, cocaine and heroin, an inquest was told.

Three empty bottles of wine and an empty bottle of Jack Daniel’s whiskey were found in Joe Downes’ room at the Peasholme Centre in Fishergate, where alcohol is not allowed.

Coroner Jon Heath said that on December 21, 2017, Joe visited his mother and was challenged by her after he began drinking at her home and she took him back to the centre.

CCTV footage subsequently showed he was with fellow resident Paul Allen in the kitchen and then entered Paul’s room where he stayed for 25 minutes while Paul left the building. After Paul returned, he went to his room. Paul then knocked on his door but there was no response.

He said that at 1.27pm the next day, a member of staff entered Joe’s room in search of crockery and found Joe unresponsive and his death was confirmed shortly afterwards.

He said a syringe was found in Joe’s drawer, with Paul’s DNA on it. It did not contain any illegal drugs and no illegal drugs were found in the room, and Paul had himself since died.

The coroner said the cause of Joe’s death was intoxication with alcohol, heroin and cocaine, but when, where and how he took the heroin had not been established.

He said he could not be satisfied there was sufficient evidence Joe took alcohol and drugs with the intention of taking his own life and concluded that his death was misadventure, in that the deliberate act of taking drink and drugs led to the unintended consequence of his death.

Joe’s mother Donna Clarkson said after the hearing that she believed the centre’s ban on drink and drugs should be more rigorously enforced at the hostel.

She felt there had been a failure of the hostel’s duty of care for her son, whom she said had a severe problem with alcohol but not drugs.

She said she had cared for Joe at home 24/7 for two to three years without any support, and she couldn’t cope, after which he had gone into Peasholme where, she claimed, a risk assessment had not been carried out.

City of York Council, which runs the hostel, said that while it did not allow substances or alcohol in its hostels, it "followed procedures to support each person’s wellbeing and recovery, while staying within the law".

A spokeswoman said: “We work with people to provide the accommodation and support they need to get them off and keep them off the streets.

“Because the support we offer often involves addressing substance and/or alcohol issues, our policy is flexible so as to address each individual’s needs, and risk assessments are carried out on a case-by-case basis.”

Sharon Houlden, corporate director for health, housing and adult social care, added: “Our thoughts are with Mr Downes’s family at the conclusion of the inquest and we acknowledge the findings of the coroner as death by misadventure.

“We continue to build trust with homeless people by offering supported accommodation, and carefully manage a substance misuse policy to ensure that any tenants are not left unsupported.”