A CORONER has concluded that the death of a Cockermouth man who 'felt like a prisoner in his own home', after being the victim of a violent assault six months earlier was drug-related.

Andrew Sisson, 38, was found dead in his flat by police on July 8, 2024, after being alerted by his sister, who was concerned for his safety after not hearing from him for over a week.

In a statement submitted to Cockermouth Coroner's Court by Acting Detective Inspector Calvin Greaves of Cumbria Police, he said that the call was received at 11.15am.

He said officers 'quickly established that he was present and deceased'.

Paramedics pronounced Mr Sisson deceased at 2.01pm.

DI Greaves was able to identify Mr Sisson as he had 'dealt with' him throughout his career and was 'aware of his regular substance misuse'.

He said he was familiar with an ongoing police investigation as 'Andrew was the victim of a serious assault and false imprisonment in January of this year'.

A man was jailed in August 2024 for three years in relation to the assault on Mr Sisson.

DI Greaves said: "The defendant remained remanded in (prison) but Andrew had been receiving unwanted attention around his support of police around this investigation."

He said that Crown Court proceedings were due to start on July 9.

DI Greaves concluded that he was confident there were 'no suspicious circumstances' around Mr Sisson’s death.

He said that he understood Mr Sisson had made a full physical recovery from the injuries sustained in the January assault.

He said: "I am as satisfied as I can be that the injuries inflicted on him in January 2024 were not relative to his passing, and there is no causation and no culpability for his death relating to the assault case."

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A statement submitted by his sister said that Mr Sisson had 'never been right' since the assault. 

She said: "He always complained of headaches and dizziness since that matter, and his anxiety was through the roof.

"He was constantly on edge and stated to us that he felt like a prisoner in his own home."

She said that the family had 'cut ties' with Mr Sisson due to his behaviour on a recent occasion.

Assistant Coroner for Cumbria, Mr Robert Cohen, said that toxicology and post-mortem reports showed that bromazolam and metabolites of cocaine were present in Mr Sisson’s system, and that the level of bromazolam would effect 'pronounced sedation'.

He said it was 'likely' that this was related to the cause of his death, and concluded that Mr Sisson's death was drug-related.

Mr Cohen said: "This was somebody who had his difficulties, faced his demons in life, but was nonetheless a much-loved member of the family."

Mr Sisson's sister paid tribute to her brother in her statement.

She said: "He was always loud and bubbly.

"A daft big brother and uncle who always wore a cap and tracksuit bottoms.

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"I'd describe Andrew as being two people - there was Andrew who was nice, bubbly, and caring, and Andrew who I wasn't close to, who took drugs and partied."

Mr Sisson's mother also submitted a statement, describing him as a 'kind and loving person', who had sought help for his drug misuse from The Well.

She said: "I don’t think for one minute that he took his own life.

"He loved his family too much to leave us like that."