TWO drug users suspected of supplying heroin which killed their friend sat and watched TV after he died in the chair next to them, an inquest heard.

Kieron Daly was just 27 when he died while in a pal’s flat at Egerton Court on Barrow Island.

An inquest at Barrow Town Hall yesterday heard from Mr Daly’s mum Debbie who described him as “a character” who had battled drug demons for most of his adult life.

Breaking down in tears, Mrs Daly, a carer, told how her son “didn’t speak to many people” but would confide in her.

“I miss him so much,” she added.

Both the coroner and Mr Daly’s family were critical of the two men who were present when Mr Daly died for their lack of effort in trying to save his life.

Mr Daly died at a flat where he had spent time with Andrew Nelson and Craig Holman for most of the day on Sunday December 10 last year.

At 5.32pm one of the two men called 999 to say Mr Daly wasn’t breathing, the inquest heard.

When paramedic Andrew Simpson-Metcalfe arrived just a few minutes later he said the two men were “sat on the settee watching television”.

Mr Daly’s mum and her daughter and daughter-in-law shook their heads in disbelief as this evidence was heard during the inquest.

Evidence from a toxicology report and a post mortem, along with statements from A&E doctors at Furness General Hospital, suggested Mr Daly had been dead for at least 40 minutes before paramedics arrived at the flat.

One doctor described how there were no signs anyone had attempted to resuscitate Mr Daly before the paramedics were called, the inquest heard.

When he was taken to FGH Mr Daly had “no recordable blood pressure and his pupils were fixed and dilated suggesting significant brain injury”. The former Walney School pupil was pronounced dead at 6.15pm.

“It is clear from the medical evidence he was dead when the paramedics got to Egerton Court and he had been dead for some time,” coroner Robert Chapman said.

The coroner’s assistant read out a transcript of the police interview with one of the two men following Mr Daly’s death.

He denied supplying drugs to Mr Daly but the coroner added: “You can’t necessarily believe what they are saying.”

One of the men also said he attempted to resuscitate Mr Daly despite the medical evidence disputing this.

A toxicology report found Mr Daly had methadone, morphine and heroin in his system; the combination of which led to his death.

Mr Chapman said he had “fallen asleep and died in his sleep”.

During the inquest he heard how Mr Daly, who had three brothers and one sister, was much loved by his family, including nieces and nephews. However, because of his drug use and behaviour, at the time of his death he had been homeless and received little support from the relevant authorities.

On the day he died however, his family had managed to find a flat for him, in Ferry Road. His sister Sarah Heseltine said: “I helped him get that flat but it was too late.”

The coroner concluded Mr Daly died a drug-related death. He told the family: “It is something we come across quite a lot here and it’s dreadful to have people as young as 27 whose lives are wasted by taking drugs and I am so, so sorry for you.”