A ROUGH sleeper who collapsed in a supermarket car park died of alcohol related illness, an inquest heard.

Thomas Barton, 37, died at Southend Hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest outside Sainsbury’s, in London Road, Southend, on Tuesday, January 12.

Following an inquest into his death, which took place at Essex Coroner’s Court, in Chelmsford yesterday, an open verdict was returned.

Jo Bates, from the Homeless Street Hub, said she had helped Mr Barton to kick drugs last year, but he continued to drink.

She said: “He was a lovely lad. He meant a lot to everyone.

“Everyone had time for him. When the drink got hold of him he was never violent or rude to anyone, he just sat there drunk.”

Mr Barton left behind a young daughter who "meant the world to him", according to Mrs Bates.

She said: “He wanted to be a proper dad to her, which he never got the chance to do.”

Mrs Bates she was pleased the coroner had found no drugs in Mr Barton's system, meaning he had kept to his promise to stay clean.

She added that he had underlying mental health problems and more should have been done to help him.

Mrs Bates said: “He had a short stay in hospital where he was dry for ten days, which is a long time for someone like Tom.

“He came out and people in various systems were going to get him help.

“But every step of the way people in the system made him feel like dirt.

“He went off, had a drink, and never looked back.

“He told everyone he wanted to get clean and off the drink. But if you are addicted you are addicted, end of.

“It’s the devil’s juice.”

Mrs Bates wants Southend Council to hire a dual diagnosis worker, a specialist counsellor who can assess the mental health needs of homeless people.

She said: “There needs to be someone who can help these people, who are trying so damned hard.”

On the night Mr Barton died, a fellow rough sleeper called for an ambulance and attempted to resuscitate him.

Despite the best efforts of paramedics and medical staff at Southend Hospital, he died that evening.

There had already been six homeless deaths in as many months.

Del Thomas, who organises the Southend Street pastors, got to know Mr Barton through his voluntary work.

At the time, he said: “I had known Tom about three or four years and he was a really lovely guy. It’s hit the rough sleeping community pretty hard and it’s just so sad.

“It’s the first death of this year but there have been six in the last six months, so it’s been a really difficult time for all of us.”