Dad was expecting tragic phone call about son's death for 20 years

A man from Cornwall was found lifeless near a student housing building by a passerby. Nathan Evans, an erstwhile scaffolder who was visiting Exeter for a few days, died alone with a can of cider and a small bottle of wine beside him on 22 September 22, 2023, an inquiry has revealed.

At his time of passing, Worcestershire-born Nathan, 43, had no settled living arrangements but had been residing with his girlfriend in Newquay. A hearing at Exeter Coroner's Court on Wednesday (July 24) revealed that he grew up in Redditch and was educated at an austere Catholic school.

He reportedly looked forward to a bright path ahead, with the chance of going to university. His mother Velda hailed him as the "perfect son" in her statement. However, following a "relatively minor incident", he was expelled from school and subsequently embarked on a scaffolding career until his mid-20s. It was reported that he started experimenting with drugs quite early in his life.

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Velda detailed how his life took a turn for the worse after one of his close friends became seriously hurt due to a drug-related debt, resulting in long-term disability. Nathan was compelled to testify against the perpetrator, which purportedly resulted in him suffering from paranoia, PTSD and increasing his dependency on alcohol and drugs, reports Devon Live.

She stated: "I feel this incident was the cause for his dependency and addiction."

Nathan's life took a tumultuous turn, resulting in him spending two to three years on the streets in the Midlands and serving time in prison. He relocated to Devon around 2017, where he met his girlfriend.

She recounted in her statement that she was living on the streets in Tiverton when she met Nathan and offered him shelter. Their relationship was intermittent over two and a half years before they moved to Newquay.

Prior to Nathan's death he was apprehended by the police for an alleged assault on her on September 16, 2023, following a neighbour's report of a disturbance. He was instructed not to return to their shared address as part of his bail conditions, yet he did so on September 18. She detailed how they drove her van to Exmouth, where Nathan became intoxicated and left, expressing a desire to spend time alone in Exeter.

The last communication she had with him was on that day, suspecting he had consumed drugs, which she claimed was "typical of him" during his visits to the city. "When he was drinking he would take anything from anyone," she said. "He was a desperate person. I tried to help him."

Daniel, Nathan's brother, provided a statement saying that Nathan had stayed with him in Tiverton for a couple of days approximately two to three weeks before his demise. Daniel remembered Nathan being in "good spirits" and believed he hadn't used drugs for some years, though he continued drinking to "block things out".

He said that due to his addictions and the resulting damage to his health, Nathan was informed in June 2023 that he had a life expectancy of just two-and-a-half years.

Nathan's dad Steven mentioned that they kept in regular touch and the last conversation they had was on September 20, 2023, noting that Nathan appeared content. He reminisced about Nathan as a "lovely boy" who impressively overcame his drug dependencies.

He confessed: "If I am honest, I had been waiting for a phone call to say he had passed away for the last 20 years."

On the morning of September 22, 2023, at approximately 8.45am, Nathan was discovered unresponsive by a worker near The Depot across from Unit 1 on Summerland Street. The worker detailed in her statement how she found him positioned on his side with a can of cider and a small bottle of wine beside him.

She recounted summoning a security guard and together they attempted CPR until the emergency medical team arrived but Nathan could not be resuscitated.

The police verified that CCTV footage captured Nathan arriving at the location where he was found around 4am that day and there was no evidence of him having left or any other individual approaching the area until the city centre employee discovered him. The authorities determined that the circumstances of his death were not suspicious and there was no involvement of a third party.

The cause of death for Nathan, who had a history of drug and alcohol dependence and mental health issues, was given as being heart disease exacerbated by the use of alcohol and cocaine. In January 2023, he sustained multiple fractures and injuries after an incident where he was struck by a van, having fallen from a curb into the road while intoxicated.

The circumstances surrounding whether his fall was intentional remain unclear, but his medical records indicate he also suffered from cirrhosis of the liver.

Despite not having high levels of substances in his system at the time of death, Nathan's pre-existing heart and liver conditions meant that even moderate amounts of alcohol and cocaine were more toxic for him. A post-mortem examination revealed an enlarged heart and a significantly blocked artery.

Assistant coroner Stephen Covell, upon reviewing the case, concluded that the death was related to drugs and alcohol, stating: "I find cocaine and alcohol consumption contributed to the primary cause of death."

He further clarified: "There does not appear to be any evidence Nathan intended to take his life. He had not taken an excessive quantity of alcohol or any other drugs."