THE father of a man who took his own life after an "addiction" to energy drinks saw him drink 15 cans a day says they should be banned.

Justin Bartholomew, 25, from Peacehaven, took his own life in 2017 after consuming huge amounts of caffeinated and sugary beverages, which he used as a coping mechanism after the breakdown of his marriage.

Now his father Keiron, 68, says the drinks are the cause of knife crime and "trouble among the youth" amid a call to ban them.

He told The Argus: "The problems in the world at the moment with all this unruly behaviour, I think this is all down to energy drinks.

"Back in the day, we had this problem with cigarettes then everyone realised they are addictive.

"Energy drinks are going down the same line."

An inquest into Justin's death in 2018 heard how he suffered from anxiety after his marriage failed.

The inquest at Eastbourne Town Hall heard he had tried to take his own life twice before going to a spot near a golf course that he had researched online.

He had attempted to take his own life by overdosing on pills in October 2016 and two days before his suicide. He was found hanged on land at Seaford Golf Club.

Mental health professionals assessed him as being a medium suicide risk days before he took his life, despite him complaining of experiencing overwhelming panic attacks and telling them he thought there was no way out.

Keiron added: "They should be banned.

"The amount that he was drinking, he was just buzzing. The sugar is the sweetness that makes you ant more.

"Caffeine in high quantities is a no-no."

A psychiatrist who saw Justin on the day of his death said he was at very high risk of suicide.

The decision was taken not to detain him under the Mental Health Act and arrangements were made for another meeting the following day.

A serious incident review concluded there was no way medical professionals could have kept Justin safe.

The Argus: Justin was 'addicted' to energy drinksJustin was 'addicted' to energy drinks

The warning comes as the ,any major retailers already refuse to sell to under-16s but the Government intends to introduce a blanket ban.

Currently, there are currently no age restrictions on the sale of any caffeine containing foods and beverages, including energy drinks.

Under 16 year olds do not legally need to provide an ID to buy an energy drink, although there is an industry agreement to not promote to that age group At time of his inquest, East Sussex Coroner Alan Craze said: “I’m staggered. There was ample evidence.”

He described him as a man in complete crisis who needed to be protected, adding: “At the end of the day, it comes down to clinical decision making.”

In his conclusion, Mr Craze said: “Although his risk of suicide was considered medium or high he was not sent for mental health assessment.

"The fact that I include this is I believe it to be an important fact in considering the circumstances of his death.

"Sadly, the conclusion of the inquest will have to be that Justin took his own life.”