THE sister of a Whitchurch man found dead in his flat last March has called for more evidence on ‘missing’ methadone that doctors say killed him.

Esther Clutton-Harris attended the inquest of Wayne Alan Clutton at Shropshire Coroner’s Court on Thursday, August 3.

Shropshire coroner John Ellery adjourned the hearing until the autumn, with a date to be confirmed, after Mrs Clutton-Harris raised her concerns over what she felt was a disparity between the toxicology report and evidence she had seen.

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Mr Ellery told the court that Dr Kerry Taylor, a toxicologist at Toxicology UK, found low amounts of caffeine and codeine, medium amounts of diazepam and similar prescription drugs, but a high amount of methadone which likely contributed to Mr Clutton's death.

But his sister told Mr Ellery that in her view, the methadone found at her brother’s home was not enough to kill him as he was ‘a hardened drug user’ and that there must have been more taken away by police or a significant other.

What happens at an inquest and what can the press report?

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The coroner agreed that more evidence was needed to achieve a conclusion, but told Mr Clutton’s family that he had ruled out suicide.

Mrs Clutton-Harris added that she would accept a conclusion of a methadone overdose if she received an explanation for the excess methadone.

Mr Ellery adjourned the hearing.