A POLICE probe into the death of a Horwich roofer - who died of a drugs overdose - is set to be reopened after fresh evidence emerged at his inquest.

Thirty-three year-old Adam Freeman was found dead at his family home in Butterwick Fields after using fentanyl patches to ease a chronic back problem, caused by a workplace accident, Bolton Coroner’s Court was told.

But this, combined with prescribed tramadol and co-codamol, and cocaine and viagra he had also taken beforehand, is said to have led to his death on February 20. Detectives had halted an investigation into how Mr Freeman came by the patches, which had been prescribed to another man, named in court as Jason Smith.

But Det Insp Andrew Fallows said fresh enquiries would now be made, based on evidence he had heard at the hearing.

In a statement, Mr Freeman’s mother Jacqueline said her son had told her partner, Paul Goodman, how his girlfriend Emma Rodmell had “got some patches for the pain”, shortly before his death.

DI Fallows, confirming Mr Goodman would now be spoken to, said: “Greater Manchester Police will robustly investigate any offences into the supply of class A drugs.”

He told the court when Rodmell was first interviewed as a witness, for the inquest, and was not under caution, she informed them how she had picked up the fentanyl patches from Smith.

But Rodmell, when asked to attend a later interview, relating to the possible supply of drugs, she issued a brief statement, denying this account, before making no further comment. Rodmell and Smith, under questioning by Rachel Syed, Manchester West assistant coroner, also declined to answer any questions relating to the fentanyl.

The inquest heard a prescription bearing Smith’s name, and a box of fentanyl patches, had been found in Mr Freeman’s bedroom, shortly after his death. Earlier Mr Freeman’s family had questioned the care offered by the Royal Bolton Hospital and his GP surgery after he had attended both establishments, in severe pain.

The family was also concerned Adam, who had struggled with alcohol dependency, had been prescribed both tramadol and co-codamol by the surgery, for pain relief.

However the coroner, after hearing evidence from several medical experts, ruled his condition, under existing clinical guidelines, would not have led to either a hospital admission or a referral for an immediate MRI scan. And she said she was satisfied it was clinically advisable to prescribe him both drugs together.

Returning a conclusion of a drugs-related death, Ms Syed said she hoped lessons could be learned, following Mr Freeman’s death, concerning the dangers of mixing prescribed medication and illicit drugs.

“This was an incredibly foolish decision on Adam’s part and I hope that people become aware of misusing medication which has not been prescribed to them,” she added.