A DIRECTOR of a scaffolding company died in his home after trying heroin for the first time.

Matthew Quant, 36, from Renfields, Haywards Heath, had a history of problems with alcohol and cocaine.

During a night at home in with a friend, he tried heroin for the first time, an inquest into his death heard.

His fiancee, who he had been with for seven years and only recently became engaged to, found him dead the next morning when she went down the stairs.

A toxicologist report detected a high level of alcohol and confirmed the presence of heroin.

The court heard the level of alcohol was consistent with serious intoxication.

Other drugs detected included cocaine and diazepam and benzodiazepine, medication used to treat anxiety.

In the few days leading up to his death, Mr Quant messaged his fiancee to say he was on a night out in Brighton, the inquest, held at Centenary House in Crawley, heard.

He returned home two days later.

His fiancee then overheard Mr Quant talking about drugs and feared he was going to inject.

He was, according to her statement read out in court, asking questions about quantities and side effects over the phone.

The inquest heard she asked him on the night he died “not to do anything stupid”. Instead he spent the night at home “drinking” with a friend while his fiancee went to bed.

But she came downstairs at 3.30am to find the TV blaring and her fiance slumped on the sofa.

She dialled 999 and paramedics arrived at the scene within five minutes.

They performed CPR but it was too late to revive Mr Quant.

He was pronounced dead at about 4am that morning.

Assistant coroner for West Sussex Joanne Andrews, said the cause of death was heroin and ethanol toxicity.

She said the level of alcohol and drugs would have exacerbated respiratory depression and interfered with his breathing.

She said: “He died at his home address having been overheard talking about taking drugs that evening.

“I am not satisfied that he took his own life and I am not satisfied that he intended it.”

She concluded Mr Quant’s death was accidental.

She said: “I believe it was a case where he intended to do what he was doing, but it led to an unintentional death. I was a drug-related death.”

His family have set up a justgiving page online for Mr Quant. Money raised will go to the mental health charity, Mind.