A MAN who died after climbing a cliff face in Colwyn Bay had struggled with drug addiction in the weeks leading up to his death, an inquest has heard.

Anthony Michael Mills died aged 49 in Old Colwyn on 16 December, 2023.

At the inquest into his death in Ruthin today (May 13), Kate Robertson, assistant senior coroner for North Wales East and Central, recorded a conclusion of drug-related death and ruled out suicide and accidental death.

The inquest heard that Mr Mills had been a “hard-working”, “well-liked” man for several years and ran his own gym in Old Colwyn.

His partner of 32 years, Nicola, said that the family were “shocked” when Mr Mills started taking cocaine more than a year prior to his death having always been “very anti-drugs”, something he imparted on his daughter Zoe and other family members.

Mr Mills had been released from HMP Berwyn in August 2023, during which time he had been “clean”.

His daughter said he had been struggling with a “low mood” and had mentioned harming himself earlier in the week of his death, and had made comments about “joining nana”.

She said he was suffering “badly” with cocaine addiction, which affected his mindset and mood and made him “paranoid”.

Mr Mills had gone to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd on December 12 following an asthma attack, and after talking to him two days later “had no concerns for him” as he “seemed fine, his normal self”.

Partner Nicola said he had been “on edge” earlier in the week, he felt that “people were following him”, and that he had mentioned being suicidal on more than one occasion.

A neighbour said Mr Mills had seemed paranoid and “off his head” when he broke into his garden in the early hours of December 16, having last spoken to Nicola at around 3am.

Later that day, at around 1pm, police were made aware of reports of a body being found by a member of the public on a cliff face near the Rainbow Bridge over the A55 in Old Colwyn.

A post-mortem examination was carried out by Dr Muhammed Aslam, a consultant pathologist at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, who recorded the medical cause of death as cardiorespiratory failure due to ketoacidosis and cocaine toxicity.

Despite injuries being found on his body at the time of his death, there was no suggestion he had fallen or that they had lead to his death, Mrs Robertson said.

It was more likely that he had ascended to this point on the cliff face, and that he may have taken cocaine all the way up to that point.

Mrs Robertson provided a medical cause of death consistent with that of the post-mortem, and reached a conclusion of drug-related death.

She added that there was “no direct evidence of suicide or accidental death”, but that his mental state would have been “impaired” while under the influence of cocaine.

She said: “I’d like to pass on my most sincerest condolences to you all as a family.

"It is evident to me how well loved and well supported he was and how tragic the circumstances leading up to his death were.

"At this incredibly difficult time, I hope those good memories you had with him will offer you some comfort.”

Mr Mills’ partner Nicola described him as “a good man, well-liked, caring and loving”.