A HOMELESS man took his own life after exchanging his credit card for a large quantity of cocaine just days after being charged with attempted robbery, an inquest heard.

Winchester Coroner’s Court heard that Gregory Michael Duffus died after hanging himself with a multicoloured ligature from a balcony in the courtyard of The Bridge community facility on January 24 this year.

Senior coroner Grahame Short told the inquest that in the days leading up to his death the 28-year-old had been charged with the attempted robbery of man in Andover High Street then exchanged his credit card for a large quantity of cocaine.

Hearing written evidence from Dr Pawley of Shepherds Spring Medical Centre the inquest heard that Mr Duffus was born in Chapeltown, Jamaica, and suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and poly substance drug abuse.

He was using a crash bed at Dene Court prior to his death.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Katherine Williams of Andover Community Mental Health Team giving evidence, confirmed that Mr Duffus was not suffering a psychotic episode in the days before he died.

Mr Short said: “He had been charged with robbery and if convicted, it is anticipated that he would have faced a custodial sentence.

I think that the prospect of having no money, having traded in his credit card, leads me to the conclusion he was depressed with the effects of the cocaine.”

Recording the death as suicide, he said: ”I record that Gregory Duffus died due to asphyxiation caused by hanging.”