Portsmouth family of Christian Darvill who died from drug overdose pay tribute to 'loyal' young man as they call for better addiction support

Christian James Darvill, 37, was found dead in Cornwallis House, Cornwallis Crescent, shortly after midnight on February 28, 2021.

An inquest into the Portsmouth resident’s death has ruled that he had stopped breathing due to variety of drugs, including morphine believed to be in the form of heroin.

At Portsmouth Coroner’s Court, in Guildhall Walk, Christian’s mother, Patricia, paid tribute to her ‘loyal’ and ‘caring’ son, saying that it was ‘heart-breaking’ to watch his struggles with his mental health lead to him ‘self-medicating’ with drugs.

In a statement read by the coroner Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp, Christian’s mother said: ‘Although he was 37 he will always be my baby boy.

‘He was a troubled soul but at his core he was gentle and loyal.

‘I thought of him as an uncut diamond that needed some polish.

‘He was more of a teenager who was yet to mature.’

But the family receiving an outpouring of messages that mourn the young man’s death and celebrate his character had been a huge support, according to Patricia.

She added: ‘I have been touched by so many messages from his (friends). It has helped that so many people cared for him and saw his best side.

‘There were times when he did lead a healthier life style and it was a joy to behold.’

Christian’s mother used the inquest to call for better work between addiction and mental health services across the city to support others like Christian.

She said: ‘There is no link between mental health and addiction. They work side by side. This has been a bone of contention for anyone who has someone with addiction problems.

‘They don’t work together – but (the issues) are intrinsically linked.’

She added: ‘We have been struggling with that for years. They all cluck and make the right noises but nothing happens.

‘It’s a big problem.’

Adults with drug dependence are twice as likely as the general population to be using psychological therapy, according to the charity the Mental Health Foundation.

Patricia praised the work of Rebound Carers' Group, a Southsea-based organisation that supports families facing addiction problems.

She said: ‘They stopped me going mad 10 years ago.’

Coroner Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp expressed her sympathy to the family and stressed that Christian was not ‘”just” a drug addict’.

She said: ‘He managed on several occasions to keep clean for a while. It’s just a great shame that didn’t carry on.’

‘He wasn’t “just” a drug addict. He was a young man who had an addiction problem.

‘Everyone counts. Everyone.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

Subscribe here for unlimited access to all our coverage, including Pompey, for just 26p a day.