A HEROIN addict who died of an overdose in a churchyard had not intended to kill himself, a coroner decided.

Nineteen-year-old Joseph Anthony Bridge of Bury was found dead on August 3 after a long battle against the drug.

Rochdale deputy coroner Mr Matthew Cox heard how psychiatrists believed the many incidents arising from Mr Bridge's personality disorder were "a cry for help".

Heartbroken Mr Joseph Bridge Snr, of Linnet Drive, Bury, told the inquest he had fought a long battle to help his son get off drugs.

He said because of the effect on the remainder of the family he had to turn the former glassworker away from home.

"He told me the next time I saw him he would be dead," said Mr Bridge.

However, despite that and previous attempts to harm himself, a verdict of "accidental death" was recorded by Mr Cox after he heard other evidence.

Mr Bridge was found dead in St Mary's Ukrainian Church grounds, Rochdale, with hypodermic syringes near the body.

Psychiatrists had described the many incidents arising from Mr Bridge's personality disorder as a "cry for help". While in hospital he told a doctor: "I'm scared of death. I take heroin because it's the best anti-depressant in the world."

Mr Bridge said his son, who had a child from a former relationship, had become dependent on drugs and alcohol as a teenager.

After the relationship broke up on the birth of the child, his son had gone to stay for a time at a hostel in Radcliffe.

With the backing of his father he made repeated attempts to get off drugs but when his continual efforts failed "he would go off on his travels".

Mr Bridge said his son had gone to a rehabilitation centre in London in 1996 determined to kick the habit, but became disheartened when he found drugs readily available there. He ended up injecting himself and begging on the streets.

The Bury-born teenager also had spells in hospital at Rochdale when was said to have drunk cider in the wards and to have failed to keep appointments with the drug team.

Mr Bridge added: "When he came home he was in a mess and I tried to clean him up. But it was having an affect on his stepmother and brothers and I had to tell him this time he could not come home."

His son went to Rochdale but was eventually asked to leave a hostel there.

Mr Cox said the action of Mr Bridge Snr was understandable in view of the effect on the family at home. But he also took into account the "cry for help" reason for much of Mr Bridge's behaviour and said he believed he had not intended to kill himself when he went to the churchyard to take heroin.

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