'Loving' Gosport son who thought he was ‘invincible’ died after taking lethal concoction of drugs used to battle mental demons

Adam Fisher was found unresponsive on October 11 last year at a friend’s home in Sunbeam Way, Gosport, after taking methadone, diazepam, ketamine and pregabalin.

Portsmouth Coroner’s Court heard how the individual quantity of the drugs found in the 21-year-old’s body were not sufficient to cause death but the combined impact proved fatal.

Mr Fisher, who was ‘sofa surfing’ at the time of his death, went to the home of family friend Karl Stevens with a female friend just before midnight on October 10.

Asked by coroner Jason Pegg how Mr Fisher was upon arrival at the address, Mr Stevens said: ‘He seemed very intoxicated.’

The friend went on to say how he was unsure what drugs Mr Fisher had taken but recalled seeing two methadone bottles on the side despite his efforts to ‘keep him away from heroin’.

Mr Stevens said he had no concerns when he saw Mr Fisher around 4.30am. ‘He looked like he was asleep,’ he told the hearing.

But late in the morning after Mr Stevens returned from the shop and tried to wake his friend he failed to get a reaction. ‘I was saying it’s time to get up but was getting no response. I was starting to worry,’ he said.

Paramedics and police were called and Mr Fisher was confirmed to have died.

PC Joshua Cotterill, who attended the scene, said there were no suspicious circumstances. Two brown bottles of liquid and a Fanta bottle with liquid were found along with a magnum bottle of wine.

Pathologist Dr Brett Lockyer concluded that death was caused by combined drug intoxication with the substances suppressing the central nervous system.

Mr Fisher’s mum Cheryl Bowtell told the hearing her son was a ‘loving person who could be a handful’ and was ‘outrageous’, as well as someone who suffered with ‘low mood swings’.

Mr Fisher also had ‘behavioural problems’ which manifested at school but there was never any formal diagnosis of any condition, Ms Bowtell said. The parent said she was told by child mental health charity CAMHS there was ‘not enough evidence to look at him’ on one occasion.

Speaking of her son’s drug taking, she said: ‘He would take them because of what was going on in his head.’

A letter from Mr Fisher’s GP in March 2021 following a phone assessment ruled out any risk of suicide or self-harm, but read: ‘He hears voices and sees things in the corner of his eyes. He carries a knife as he is worried about being attacked.’

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Recording a verdict of death by misuse of drugs, the coroner said Mr Fisher was ‘very much loved and supported’ but had a ‘history of low mood and anxiety’ whilst suffering psychotic episodes.

He added: ‘Adam thought he was invincible but sadly he was not invincible and succumbed to his addiction to street drugs that he had developed.’

Mr Pegg said there was no evidence that Mr Fisher ‘intended the outcome’.

The coroner offered his ‘sincere condolences’ to Mr Fisher’s parents before adding: ‘It’s desperately tragic especially when someone who is only 21 passes away in these circumstances.’

If you've been affected by suicide, Amparo is a dedicated support service providing practical and emotional support after bereavement. Call 0300 088 9255, email [email protected] or visit amparo.org.uk

If you need urgent help with your mental health, there is free support available 24/7 from:

• Samaritans - call 116 123 or email [email protected]

• Shout - text HANTS to 85258

• If it’s an emergency, call an ambulance using 999