An inquest has heard that a man who consumed Spice just days before he was scheduled to begin rehabilitation collapsed in the street and passed away.
Details of the Incident
Sam Tigwell, aged 33, collapsed on July 29, 2024, and died in hospital six days later. The inquest, held at County Hall in Exeter, was told that he was deeply cherished by his family but trapped in a pattern of drug and alcohol misuse.
At the time of his death, he was due to enter rehab and turn his life around, according to his mother. Paramedics discovered Sam collapsed on the street on the evening of July 29. Friends indicated he had been drinking, but not more than usual, as reported by DevonLive.
He had been conversing before ingesting some Spice, a synthetic cannabinoid. He then lay down and began to turn blue. Efforts were made to resuscitate him, and he was taken to the hospital urgently.
Police and Coroner Findings
Police stated that a batch of the lab-manufactured drug was in circulation at the time Sam suffered cardiac arrest. It was believed to be connected to a series of fatalities, with four confirmed deaths. A male had been arrested, but the inquest did not provide further details.
The cause of death was recorded as brain injury resulting from the ingestion of drugs and alcohol. Traces of cocaine were found in his system, but he was not tested for Spice, said area coroner Deborah Archer.
Consequently, the coroner noted she could not be certain he had taken Spice, though it was likely in combination with alcohol. She recorded a drug and alcohol-related death.
Sam's Background
The inquest heard about Sam's history. His mother Lisa said Sam's father left when he was five. He had ADHD as a child and did not complete school. He struggled with structure but excelled in maths and was creative.
He was a father of two but had limited contact due to his heavy drinking. For the past decade, he was caught in a tragic cycle of alcohol addiction and street homelessness, interspersed with periods in custody and detox.
He was due to enter detox in Cornwall at the time of his death, but it was delayed when he was hospitalized with a serious hand infection. He discharged himself early and resumed street drinking.
Support services made considerable efforts to assist him, often seeking him out on the streets or at his supported accommodation at Gabriel House.
His mother spoke with him shortly before his death and urged him to enter rehab. Sam was well-known at the local GP surgery, the alcohol and drug support team, the council, and homeless teams.
Police noted he was vulnerable due to his lifestyle and had been assaulted multiple times while living on the streets. On the morning of July 29, paramedics found him drunk in the doorway of the Monkey Suit bar on Sidwell Street, Exeter. He declined help and went to get food. A second 999 call was made by a friend when he collapsed that evening.
"Sam was loving," said his mother, "and very much loved by his family and lifelong friends. I know he was ready for rehabilitation as he was sick of his lifestyle. He wanted to get well, return to his family, and build a relationship with his two children. I totally believe that if he had been well enough he would be on a different path now. He was truly ready for it."
