A LATVIAN man from Lewisham who was found dead in a Thamesmead street had taken a cocktail of drugs, an inquest heard.

Warehouse picker Andreis Arhangelskis, who was known as Andrew, was visiting his heroin-addict friend Aleksandras Mezals at his home in Redpoll Way on March 16 this year.

An inquest at Croydon Coroner’s Court today heard how 29-year-old Mr Arhangelskis had taken heroin with Mr Mezals at around 11pm that night.

Mr Arhangelskis, who lived in St John’s Vale, went outside to have a cigarette at around 2am on March 17 but never returned.

It was only when Mr Mezals went to look for his friend 20 minutes later that his lifeless body was found.

During the short hearing, Coroner Dr Roy Palmer read from a statement provided by police officers who were called to Redpoll Way by paramedics at 2.53am.

It said: “Mr Mezals was standing next to the lifeless body of a man lying on the floor next to the side wall of number two Redpoll Way.

“He [Arhangelskis] was bare-chested and on his lower half was wearing light blue jeans and a black belt and dirty white socks.”

Paramedics immediately noticed several track marks on Mr Arhangelskis’ left arm, suggesting heroin use.

Home office pathologist Dr Peter Jerreat later identified more than 10 puncture wounds on his body.

Mr Arhangelskis was pronounced dead at the scene at 3.51am, with officers quickly ruling out any suspicious circumstances but initially treating his death as unexplained.

Tests later revealed Mr Arhangelskis had a “potentially fatal” level of morphine in his blood and had also taken cannabis and cocaine.

The medical cause of death was given as opiate and alcohol intoxication.

Recording a verdict of misadventure, the coroner said: “It is impossible to say if this was a person known to be dependent on drugs or whether this was a one-off episode.”