The body of a man was discovered in a bathtub after a council worker forced their way into his home to carry out an overdue gas check. 

Ali Jabali, 48, of Trafalgar Street, was found by a Norwich City Council carpenter who went to the property to allow gas engineers to carry out a service. 

The engineers were able to lift the council worker to a partially opened bathroom window, which he was then able to remove. 

In the one-bedroom flat, the carpenter discovered Mr Jabali collapsed and kneeling into the tub with his head submerged in water. 

Emergency services were immediately called, and paramedics declared him dead on the morning of July 20, 2023. 

An inquest into Mr Jabali’s death was held at Norfolk Coroner’s Court, based at County Hall, Norwich, on March 20. 

Evidence read out in court heard that Mr Jabali, who was born in Tripoli, the capital city of Libya, had struggled with substance abuse for several years. 

Dr Ian Phipp, of Lakenham Surgery, was his GP and described him as “a complex man” who “suffered from a number of medical conditions both physical and mental”.

This included anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and epilepsy, and he was also HIV-positive, with hepatitis B, C and D.

Dr Phipp went on to say that although he was offered support by drug agencies, he had long periods where he would not engage or attend. 

A post-mortem report confirmed that the medical cause of death was from a combined toxic effect of methadone, morphine, alcohol and cocaine. 

Histopathologist Dr Laszlo Igali said: “Toxicology showed multiple drugs which, in combination, were most likely responsible for the fatal outcome.” 

Assistant coroner Christopher Leach concluded that Mr Jabali died from “a drug-related death". 

  • For support with substance abuse visit www.changegrowlive.org to find out more. 
  • To pay tribute to a loved one, email norfolkobituaries@newsquest.co.uk    
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