A free-spirited Devon man with a ‘heart of gold’ who enjoyed living on a boat along the River Taw was found passed at the bottom of a riverbank just a few metres away from where he resided. Wayne Brown, 49, was discovered by a local resident while walking along a footpath beside the river near to new residential development Taw Wharf at around noon on March 16, 2023.
The previous evening he had gone to a friend’s house where he had enjoyed a Chinese takeaway and had seemed in good spirits when he left, an inquest at Exeter Coroner’s Court heard today, January 17.
Due to the sudden nature of his death, a police investigation was launched. It concluded there were no suspicious circumstances or third-party involvement.
A post-mortem examination confirmed the cause of Mr Brown’s death was amphetamine toxicity. The level taken was said to be higher than typically seen following recreational use and could be potentially lethal.
High levels of use can cause side effects including an induced coma, seizures and death. No injuries were found on Mr Brown that could have caused or contributed to his death.
In a statement, his friend Kevin Bond who he had spent the evening with before his death told how Mr Brown, who was single and unemployed, had begun living on the boat alone a while after his parents died within short succession of each other. He said it had been given to him by a friend and he had a love of cycling and fishing.
He described Mr Brown as being healthy and that he believed he was a long-term user of amphetamines. On March 15, 2023, he recalled Mr Brown left his house around 11pm to 11.30pm.
Mr Bond said: “We arranged to meet outside Tesco the following afternoon. When he left he appeared totally normal and didn’t complain of feeling unwell.”
He added: “I was surprised when Wayne failed to show up as he was reliable.”
Mr Brown was found passed away at the bottom of a grassy bank by a local resident who said he recognised him as one of the men who lived on the boats in the area.
He said: “He was 3m to 5m metres away from the boat I had occasionally seen he occupied. We always acknowledged one another.”
Ambulance crews reported having found a torch and food on the bank where he was discovered.
Recording a conclusion of drug-related death, Alison Longhorn, area coroner for Exeter and greater Devon said: “Wayne was apparently perfectly healthy other than he had taken a large amount of amphetamines.”
She added: “I have no doubt it was an accidental death. There is nothing to suggest it was intentional.”
Addressing his family at the inquest, she said: “I’m really sorry for your loss. It must have been a real shock to lose him like this.”
Speaking after the inquest, Mr Brown’s sister paid tribute to him and described how he loved life and being on his own doing what he liked to do.
She said: “It was a huge shock when Wayne passed away. He has always been very independent and liked his own space but he had a heart of gold and was always there if anyone needed anything.
“Wayne will always be remembered as the funny, carefree, silly person we knew him as and he is missed dearly by everyone who knew him, especially his family.”
