BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN FOUND DEAD AT HOUSE AFTER TAKING COCKTAIL OF DRUGS

Stephen Salmon

A BORN again Christian who had a history of drug abuse died after taking a cocktail of heroin, diazepam and alcohol, an inquest heard.

Stephen Salmon, a regular drug user since the age of 14, was found dead at a friend’s house in Regan Street, Halliwell.

Mr Salmon, aged 33, who had spent a period living homeless in Tenerife, had been separated twice and had a son from his first relationship.

He originally left Bolton aged 17 to work in Portugal, and later met his wife in Barcelona and they married in Ireland, where they had a son.


He went to live with his wife and child in Brazil, but they separated and his son, aged eight at the time, stayed with his wife.

Mr Salmon, of Longtown Gardens, Halliwell, then “reached rock bottom” and he spent a time living homeless in Tenerife where he found religion.



Aged 28, he married his second wife in Epsom, but the pair separated in 2013 and he moved back to his parent’s house.

His parents, Alan and Susan Salmon, told the inquest that they believed he had stopped taking drugs since he had returned to Bolton.

In addition, the inquest at Bolton Coroners Court heard that Mr Salmon told doctors he had not taken heroin for more than 13 years.

He had been working closely with Kings Church in Breightmet, helping addicts into rehab and sharing his experiences.

On the day he died, on May 30, Mr Salmon had gone for a drink with his father at the Claremont Pub, in Halliwell Road, before meeting his friend Craig Piercey in the pub later in the afternoon.

Mr Piercey said he noticed white powder on Mr Salmon’s nose, and that he seemed “riled up” and intoxicated on more than alcohol.

The pair later left and went to Mr Piercey’s house, when Mr Salmon became drowsy and became unresponsive. He was pronounced dead shortly before midnight.

The inquest heard that Mr Salmon had been admitted to hospital in March after overdosing on diazepam and alcohol, which his parents were unaware of.



Area coroner Alan Walsh ruled the cause of death as misuse of drugs, and said that drug users who have not taken substances for a while were at risk because they had less tolerance.

He said: “He may well not have understood that the combination of heroin, particularly if it had been taken with diazepam or alcohol, would be dangerous, if he had taken heroin many years ago and believed he could still take the same dose.

“It is immensely dangerous to take the same level of heroin, believing that they have survived in the past so they will survive again.”

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