Two drug addicts who could hold the key to a 21 year old's tragic death from an overdose could not be found to answer a coroner's questions about what happened.

Joshua James Whitewood, of Green Street, Ryde died on November 26, 2019, from an overdose of drugs including heroin.

The Isle of Wight Coroner's Court heard a Home Office post mortem had been carried out, with initial concerns that someone else might have administered the drugs.

Diamorphine (heroin), methadone, diazapam, Pregabalin, Gabapentin and dihydrocodeine were all found in Mr Whitewood's system.

A Home Office post mortem had been carried out, with initial concerns that someone else might have administered the drugs.

Mr Whitewood's family expressed their frustration with witness statements provided by two men present when Mr Whitewood collapsed.

The court heard their accounts were rife with inconsistencies, but because they were "hopeless drug addicts" with no fixed addresses, police could not locate them to issue a summons.

Coroner Caroline Sumeray said, even if she had managed to bring them to court, they were unlikely to be co-operative, and would not have to answer questions that could incriminate themselves.

The court heard the police were well aware of the inconsistencies, and had at one stage arrested one of them on suspicion of administering a controlled drug, but there was not sufficient evidence to prosecute.

Their statements revealed how they had both been in Mr Whitewood's room at Fellowship House when he stopped breathing.

Paramedics were called and Mr Whitewood was taken to St Mary's Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Mrs Sumeray said Mr Whitewood had more drugs in his system than she had seen in most cases, and that people played Russian roulette every time they took street drugs.

She said everyone thinks they know how much they can take, but are not aware of exactly what they are taking.

Mrs Sumeray said Mr Whitewood had a fairly troubled background around substances.

He was known to be someone who abused substances, and the nature of his death did not come as a massive shock out the blue to those who knew him well.

She said he was involved with people living at Fellowship House, and on the day in question, he lost conciousness.

The court heard most of the substances found in his system were not prescribed to him, and there was clear evidence he was buying pills from people and taking them recklessly.

Mrs Sumeray said, while there was evidence of other people participating in drug taking in his company, there was no evidence to suggest somebody else had definitely, deliberately given him drugs.

Mrs Sumeray said she was satisfied, on the balance of probability, that Mr Whitewood died a drug related death.

Mr Whitewood's father, Eric, described him as a free spirit always wanted to get involved with everyone.

He said, even as a child, he loved to give and help the less fortunate ­— especially the homeless ­— as a teenager taking food from home to feed them.