A POPULAR student fell to his death from a 60ft ledge after taking a cocktail of drugs at a music festival.

Diogo Moreira plunged from sheer drop around Howard Place near Brighton Station two hours after taking a mixture of MDMA and amphetamines.

An inquest into the 29-year-old’s death on Tuesday (Nov 17) heard how he may have suffered a "comedown" after taking liquid LSD, cocaine and cannabis at the festival, with after-effects leading to negative feelings.

The Portuguese mature student had been studying environmental sciences and geology at the University of Brighton when he and his friends went to the Noisily music and arts festival in Leicester in July this year.

His friend Jovan Popovic told Brighton Coroner’s Court how the keen runner and climber would only use drugs on a “special occasion”.

Another friend, Jason Leach, told the inquest how Mr Moreira had gone to his house on July 13 after the festival for “a couple of beers and maybe a smoke of cannabis” before going to Mr Popovic’s house to stay the night.

Mr Popovic recalled how “every sentence [Diogo] said became very important,” and how Mr Moreira talked about a lack of confidence when he was younger, wanting to call his parents.

Mr Popovic fell asleep and woke up early on July 14 to find Mr Moreira had left the flat without his belongings.

Friends became worried when, two days later, Mr Moreira had not turned up for work at the Redroaster Cafe in Brighton.

Detective Inspector Ian Trantum of British Transport Police told the inquest police found Mr Moreira’s body behind some builders’ bags in the railway siding, and was obscured from view for several days.

A pathologist said Mr Moreira suffered multiple injuries in his fall, including broken ribs, a broken arm and cuts to his body, and either died immediately or soon after.

Toxicologist Amber Crampton from the Royal Sussex County Hospital said the traces of cocaine, cannabis, ibuprofen, speed and MDMA in his system would not “normally result in putting yourself in danger to such an extreme extent”.

She said Mr Moreira may have been feeling the effects of a comedown before his death.

Coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley recorded a verdict of accidental death, and said his death was caused by multiple left-sided injuries due to a fall from height, and the use of amphetamines, MDMA, cocaine and LSD were contributing factors in his death.

She said: “I’m quite sure he didn’t intend to take his own life. I believe it has probably everything to do with the mixture of drugs.

“I don’t think we will ever know why he decided to take himself in such a rush to get across the road and why he decided to get over the wall.”