A Devon dad and well-known barber, described as a ‘loveable rogue’, tragically passed away while it was thought he was sleeping, an inquest has heard.
James Potter, of Exwick in Exeter, was unable to be revived after spending the night at a flat in Exmouth on January 8, 2023.
In a statement, the 36-year-old’s wife Hayley told how they had been together for three and a half years and married in July 2022. She said their relationship was ‘very much up and down’ due to him taking cocaine but said life had become settled after their wedding.
She recalled that she had recently rented him a new barber shop in Torquay as he had a lot of friends in the area and she thought it would be good for him. She added they had been awaiting how to treat his sleep apnea.
James, who was born in Warrington, was said to have left their home on January 7 following an argument after he had been heavily drinking the night before and he said he was at his mum’s. Heartbreakingly, she said she first found out about his death on social media.
Hayley said: “I do miss James very much. He was a loveable rogue and I am currently taking it a day at a time.”
A post-mortem examination confirmed he had taken large amounts of cocaine and a prescription drug that can cause sedation among other effects before his death. The medical cause of his death was polydrug toxicity.
The inquest, held at Exeter Coroners Court today, January 16, heard a police investigation confirmed that James had been picked up from Torquay at around 3am and was driven to Exmouth by a man he had only met that day and was taken back to his flat in Exmouth.
He was said to have told him he had ‘taken a lot of drugs’. They were joined by another man at the flat. The owner of the property said he himself didn’t go to sleep until 7am and got up at 1pm and could hear James snoring and went out.
A second man who was also in the flat said he realised James was not breathing so called the flat owner who was said to have arrived 10 minutes later at 5.55pm and rang an ambulance and gave CPR until an ambulance arrived. However, James was unable to be revived.
Police confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances or criminal offenses and said the two men had been cooperative and consistent in their accounts.
Medical records stated that James had sought help from mental health professionals previously for severe depression but had not always engaged with the services. He had last been seen in October 2022.
Recording a conclusion of drugs related death, assistant coroner Deborah Archer said: “Before he died, James took a lethal dose of both illegal and prescription drugs which would have affected his ability to think rationally about the consequences of actions.”
She added it was likely his actions had been impulsive and said: “He decided to leave his property [he was at] and go on drug binge which he would do from time to time. I don’t think on that night he expected the drugs he had taken would end his life, but that sadly was the consequences of his actions on that night.”
Following James’ death, a loving tribute was made by Hayley who said his passing had ‘left a massive void in a million and one people’s hearts’, including hers and their son who was aged two at the time.
She explained it was only after James’ passing that she realised how many lives her husband had touched, saying: “He’s left a massive void in a million and one people’s hearts up and down the country. I didn’t realise how loved he actually was.
“James was quite a lively, outgoing character. He would talk to anybody on the street, he was a nightmare for it. He was fun, outgoing and just loved life.”
A GoFundMe page was set up by Hayley’s best friend, Danielle Beavis, to raise money for James’ funeral. Hayley joked that her husband was ‘the biggest show-off’ and so it is only fitting that his funeral features bright colours and his favourite music.