A 20-YEAR-OLD heroin user had more than six times the fatal dose of morphine in his blood when he died, an inquest heard on Thursday.

Gary Willcox was found dead on his friend Stephen Pitt's sofa in Portway, Chippenham on Sept-ember 8, 2002.

Mr Willcox died just two days after being released from prison after serving time for burglary.

The inquest at Chippenham resumed last week after Deputy Wiltshire Coroner William Bache had halted it on March 26.

On that occasion Mr Willcox's mother Janet, of Beanacre Road, Melksham, had quizzed Mr Pitt, raising queries as to whether he had allowed her son to inject drugs at his house.

Before witnesses were called, Peter Codner, representing Mrs Willcox, asked Mr Bache to continue the inquest in front of a jury.

Mr Codner said: "There are matters which are somewhat unclear which give some concern that this is, on the face of it, not an accidental death. If someone had injected Gary Willcox with heroin this would be a poisoning case."

Mr Codner suggested that in such circumstances a jury might be legally required.

Mr Bache turned down the request.

He said: "Unless something in terms of evidence were to be put before me I won't take it to a jury at this stage."

Dr Penny Tidbury, who was a consultant pathologist at Swindon's Princess Margaret Hospital at the time, conducted a post mortem on Mr Willcox on September 12.

Dr Tidbury said: "The main finding was of congestion of the lungs. I would presume that the level of morphine he had in his blood was a fatally large level."

Dr Tidbury told the court that Mr Willcox had been found to have a concentration of 770mg of morphine per litre of blood. She said that the fatal dose for most people was 120mg per litre.

Dr Tidbury added: "I could not see any obvious marks of injection on the body. It's not always easy to see them."

Mr Codner told the court: "We think Gary Willcox was clear of heroin for four and a half months before he died."

A statement from Mr Pitt's partner Collette Biggins was read to the court. She said she saw Mr Willcox snoring very loudly on the sofa of the house she shared with Mr Pitt at 6.45pm on September 7.

Next-door neighbour Paul Chevolleau said Mr Willcox had knocked at his door at 1.30am that night.

"He Mr Willcox said he wished he had more money to get some stuff," Mr Chevolleau said.

Dr Tidbury had been unable to give an accurate time of death for Mr Willcox and had suggested that a toxicologist be called to give evidence on this matter.

DC Richard Jones attended the house on the morning that Mr Willcox was found dead.

He said: "I found nothing at the scene that led me to believe that Mr Willcox had been assisted in any way in his death."

DC Jones was shown photographs of the scene. He said that there were marks on Mr Willcox's body. He added: "They appear to be marks consistent with someone self harming themselves."

The inquest was adjourned after Mr Pitt, who had been requested as a witness, failed to attend.

Mr Codner requested that a toxicologist should be called to give evidence on resumption. Mr Bache indicated that the inquest would be resumed "sooner rather than later".