INQUESTS have heard how two men – both in their 30s – died in their York homes after using heroin.

York Coroner Donald Coverdale warned that even small quantities of the drug could kill, particularly in the case of people who were not regular users. “Any injection of heroin can have fatal consequences,” he said.

One of the inquests concerned the death last December of Scott Wade, 34, in his bedroom at his home in Seventh Avenue, Tang Hall.

The other examined the death last October of Adrian Leetham, 36, of Nicholas Street, off Hull Road. The hearing heard Mr Wade, an unemployed window cleaner, was known to have smoked cannabis in the past, but not to have used heroin.

He was in a good, normal mood when he was last seen and went up to bed, but the following day he was found dead on the bedroom floor. Injection marks were found on him and tests on blood and urine samples showed the presence of heroin.

Mr Coverdale said there had been suggestions that Mr Wade had at some time talked about the possibility of injecting air into his veins, but experts had ruled this out as a possible cause of death. He said Mr Wade died from non-dependent use of drugs.

Mr Wade’s mother, Diane, broke down in tears after telling the inquest: “I loved him so much.”

The inquest was told Mr Leetham had a history of heroin and amphetamine abuse, and also had an alcohol problem.

But he had been on a drug intervention programme and moved to York from Hull last year to make a new start, and had succeeded in getting a job at the Nestlé factory as a process worker.

Relatives became concerned after they were unable to contact him and a police officer broke into his home and found him dead on the floor, in a crouching position. Tests showed the presence of alcohol and illicit drugs in his blood.

Mr Coverdale said Mr Leetham died from dependence on drugs.