'Kind, quiet' Newbury man's tragic secret

Adam Joseph Chambers - described as a “quiet, loving man” - was found in bed by his heartbroken mother, Jacqueline, at the family home in Herewood Close, the hearing in Newbury Town Hall was told yesterday (Wednesday).
Mrs Chambers said in a statement that her son, aged 33, had been living at home for the past three years, during which time he had been struggling with anxiety and depression.
However, the inquest heard, he sought regular help for the condition and his GP, Dr Helen Wallis of Eastfield House Surgery in Newbury, had prescribed the antidepressant fluoxetine - better known as Prozac.
Mrs Chambers said that on Monday, May 12, her son had arranged to go drinking with friends in Newbury town centre.
The following morning at 6.30am, as she got up to prepare for work, she checked on her son who was in bed in his room, the inquest heard.
Mrs Chambers said that she checked him again just before she left the house at 7.55am and that her son was snoring.
In a statement she recalled coming home around 6pm to find the post uncollected and the house silent and undisturbed.
On going upstairs to check on her son, she said: “I knew straight away something was wrong. He didn’t appear to be breathing and was not responding.”
Paramedics were called and pronounced Mr Chambers dead at 6.05pm.
Det Sgt Dave Turton said in a statement that there were no signs of a disturbance and that Mr Chambers’ body was lying face down, fully clothed, beneath the duvet.
Nearby, he added, was a bag containing an assortment of pills, including sedative benzodiazapenes, and a mirror upon which was a “small amount of off-white powder and a razor blade.”
The powder was analysed and found to be illictly manufactured diacetylmorphine - better known as heroin - the inquest heard.
Toxicology tests showed a low level of alcohol in Mr Chambers’ system but potentially fatal levels of heroin.
The cause of death was given as acute heroin toxicity.
Berkshire coroner Peter Bedford pointed out that although there were relatively low levels of alcohol and benzodiazapenes, these - along with legally prescribed Prozac - could all act as central nervous system depressants and were more dangerous in combination.
He recorded a verdict of drug related death.
Afterwards, Mrs Chambers’ brother Jake and mother Jacqueline spoke of their heartbreak and paid tribute to the “kind, quiet, loving man” they had lost.
His brother added: “The whole family misses him very much.”