Subscribe to trusted local news
If you are accessing this story via Facebook but you are a subscriber then you will be unable to access the story. Facebook wants you to stay and read in the app and your login details are not shared with Facebook. If you experience problems with accessing the news but have subscribed, please contact subscriptions@thestrayferret.co.uk. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
- Subscription costs less than £1 a week with an annual plan.
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
06
Apr 2022
Death of Harrogate man, 45, was due to drugs, inquest hears
The death of a 45-year-old man at a Harrogate hostel was due to "multi-drug toxicity", an inquest heard today.
The inquest into the death of Stephen Paul Cattanach on October 26, 2020 was heard at Northallerton Coroners Court this afternoon.
At the time of his death, Mr Cattanach was living in temporary accommodation provided by Harrogate Borough Council at Cavendish House on Robert Street.
The inquest heard the 45-year-old was found in his room by a member of staff on the afternoon of October 26.
Dr Joy Shacklock, of the Spa Surgery in Harrogate, told the inquest Mr Cattanach had a "complex history of drug and alcohol addiction and mental health issues".
Dr Shacklock added her patient had suffered a number of overdoses, most recently twice in July 2020. She said Mr Cattanach insisted neither was intentional.
A toxicology report performed after his death, found high levels of drugs, including morphine and heroin, in his blood.
Read more:
- Inquest concludes no single factor led to Harrogate woman’s suicide
- Inquest finds homeless Harrogate man endured a ‘drug-related death’
He had previously been helped by North Yorkshire Horizons, an adult drug and alcohol recovery service. Mr Cattanach reached out for support from Horizons five days before his death and had a follow-up appointment booked for October 27, the day after he died.
Coroner Jon Heath agreed with the post-mortem assessment and concluded that his death was drug related. He said:
0