'He could not break the addiction': Beloved young man, 26, died two days after Christmas after years of drugs use

A coroner said drugs are "the evil of life” after finding that a 26-year-old died two days after Christmas in hospital following a history of drug use. Luke Jeffrey Aldred died of septicemia at Royal Bolton Hospital as a result of chronic use of multiple different Class A drugs, the Coroner's Court in Bolton was told.

The Bolton man struggled with addiction throughout his life and despite having times where he managed to recover from it, unfortunately relapsed, his family told the court. The coroner heard how Luke discharged himself from hospital on a number of occasions between November and December 2021 for illnesses relating to his intravenous drug use.

He was admitted to hospital shortly after Christmas 2021 where he died on December 27.

Read more: ' Racially insensitive sign' removed from Blackpool Illuminations following complaints

His grandmother Valda Aldred described him as an “intelligent and articulate young man” when he was growing up, but drugs took over his life. She explained in her statement that his drug use started with cannabis as a teenager and led to harder drugs later down the line.

“Drug addiction destroyed his life,” she said. “This is despite attempts from his family and friends to help and support him.

“He did not want to die. He was dearly loved and will forever be in the hearts of his family. He did have some detoxification times from drugs but he did go back to using them.”

She also explained how her grandson lost his way and got involved with drug dealers - the wrong crowd.

His paternal grandfather, Jeffrey Hartley, said: “He will be sorely missed by his family. This is very, very sad.”

Luke, of no fixed abode, was suffering from infective carditis - an infection caused by bacteria that