A vulnerable man who was found dead inside his flat was the "kindest, gentlest of people", an inquest has been told.

Simon Casey's body was discovered in his Gorleston home on October 31 after a visiting carer raised the alarm having been unable to contact him.

An inquest into the 41-year-old's death was held at County Hall on Wednesday.

It heard how Mr Casey, who was born in Great Yarmouth, has a complex medical history, which included Crohn's disease, emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

He also suffered lengthy struggles with substance abuse and mental ill health, but in the weeks before his death, he was hoping to step up support to beat his addiction.

In a statement read to the court, his sister Lisa Casey said: "Simon was my brother and was the kindest, gentlest of people.

"Yes he was a drug addict, but some of the best people have struggles with their mental health and addiction.

"We now have to live with the thought that he died alone."

Miss Casey added that her brother had struggled to come to terms with the death of his mother on New Year's Eve 2021.

At the time of his death, Mr Casey was receiving domiciliary support from Bluebird Care, following an admission to the hospital due to suffered from malnutrition.

When a carer from the organisation was unable to reach him on two separate visits on October 31, the police were contacted and found him dead inside his flat in Magdalen Way.

Jacqueline Lake concluded his death was drug-related, with the medical cause given as combined toxicity of cocaine, heroin and methadone. 

She said: "Mr Casey clearly had a complex medical history and was described as being very frail.

"He clearly had problems with malnutrition and had a long history of drug use."