A MAN found dead in an Oxford pub toilet had been there for more than 32 hours after a heroin overdose, an inquest heard.

The body of Lee Cooper, of White Hart Mews, Chipping Norton, was found in a cubicle in the men’s toilets of the Jericho Tavern, in Walton Street, on March 30.

Coroner Darren Salter said: “It seems apparent that Lee entered the men’s lavatory at 3.09pm, but then sadly he wasn’t discovered in there until Saturday, March 30 at about 9.30pm.

“The appropriate verdict is one of abuse of drugs. It does seem extremely sad, and as I understand it Lee’s partner went on to have a child several days later.”

CCTV recordings from the pub revealed the 41-year-old went into the toilet shortly after an unidentified woman at 3.09pm on August 29.

His body was discovered at 9.30pm the following day when a customer tried to open the cubicle door.

The inquest, held yesterday at County Hall, was told that Mr Cooper, a computer technician, had 0.3mg of morphine per 100ml of blood in his body.

The high level of morphine, along with drug paraphernalia found at the scene, led investigators to conclude he had injected heroin into his groin. A pathologist found he had died of opiate intoxication.

Investigating officer DS Rhian Evans said police had been unable to identify the woman who arrived with Mr Cooper, but no evidence of third-party involvement was apparent.