The tragic story of a heroin addict who stabbed his brother to death and watched another brother die from drug abuse, has been revealed at an inquest.

Nigel Wood, 57, who was known as Tim, was found dead at his home in Canterbury in January.

After years of drug abuse, a post-mortem examination revealed he died from respiratory failure after taking a cocktail of drugs, including a high level of methadone which a pathologist told the coroner would have been fatal in itself.

Mr Wood, a former merchant seaman, was said by his GP to have had many long-standing health problems, including a re-occurring issues with a leg injury and complications because of his drug use.

He was found dead on his bed at his shared home in Rutland Close, Canterbury, by his best friend Steven Hoyle, who admitted he was also a drug user.

"When I went to rouse him, he felt cold and I knew he was dead" - Stephen Hoyle

He told the coroner how they would often share Mr Wood’s prescribed medication including methadone and how Mr Wood also swapped drugs with other users.

He said: “His door was open I saw him lying on his bed at about 3.30am. I went back to bed and when I checked on him again at about 9.30am, I noticed he hadn’t moved.

"When I went to rouse him, he felt cold and I knew he was dead. I called an ambulance.”

DC Lynn Short said there was no evidence of foul play. She said that inquiries into Mr Wood’s background revealed he had suffered a bad leg injury in a car accident.

The coroner also heard that Mr Wood’s brother has died from a heroin overdose many years earlier and that he had also been convicted of manslaughter for stabbing another brother during a row for which he was sentenced to two years.

Mr Wood’s sister, Teresa Brockwell from Dover, said he had come to her home for Christmas and showed no signs of depression or suicidal intentions.

She told the coroner she believed he had his drug use under control.

Recording that his death had been drug-related, the coroner Ian Goldup said there was no suggestion that Mr Woods had taken his own life.