Inquest into death of James Morsley who died at Alexandra Hospital

James Morsley died aged 61 after suffering a cardiac arrest, having fallen at his home in Tanworth-in-Arden.

An inquest heard that Mr Morsley had a “long-standing history” of cocaine use which the coroner ruled to have contributed to his death.

During the inquest, held at Worcestershire Coroners Court on Wednesday (February 1), a statement from Mr Morsley’s wife, Paula Morsley, was read out by Coroner David Reid.

She described him as an “ambitious” man who enjoyed the challenge of starting new business ventures, most recently the property market.

The inquest heard he had an “addictive personality”, having started smoking at the age of 20.

After the pair separated in 2013, he got into a habit of drinking and cocaine use.

“It was clear it was a problem,” the statement read.

“We were very concerned. He was very thin and becoming frail.

“He became confused, seeing things and hearing voices.”

The coroner had also seen an email sent by Mr Morsley’s daughter, who was not named in court, to his GP, Dr Jenny Eaton.

She described her father as “an addict with total denial” with a “long-standing history of cocaine abuse”.

Worcestershire Coroner's Court (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Morsley, originally from Birmingham, fell at his home on Broad Lane on October 9, with West Midlands Ambulance Service staff called to the scene shortly before 4pm.

Ambulance staff were told he had fallen at around 12.30pm, with reference to hallucinations, delirium and drug use.

Mr Morsley was aware of what had happened however he appeared to be talking to his dead mother, a statement from WMAS read.

He was taken to the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch where he suffered a cardiac arrest on October 13.

A report from Dr Gavin Nicoll, an intensive care consultant, said Mr Morsley’s condition deteriorated and he suffered multiple organ failure.

Concluding, Mr Reid said that were it not for the contribution of cocaine he would have put the death down to natural causes.

“He died from natural causes of which cocaine use was a contributing factor,” he ruled.

The cause of death was given as multiple organ failure, caused by cardiac arrest, of which cocaine use was a contributing factor.