Bolton dad Haydn Brown died after mental health struggle

Haydn Brown was just 44 when he died on April 9. 

Mr Brown, who had four children from a previous relationship, was found unresponsive at the address of his partner, Tilly Budgen, in Leigh. 

Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. 

An inquest into his death was held at Bolton Coroners Court on Tuesday, October 8. 

It heard how Mr Brown, who lived on Shireburn Avenue in Tonge Moor, ran a tattoo parlour in the area, Skin City, as well as Archangel Security Services. 

Tilly told the inquest that the pair had met in November 2023 and began a relationship in December. 

Haydn Brown (Image: Public) She described the events leading up to Mr Brown's death. 

On the evening of April 8 this year, the pair had been texting, having a "normal type of conversation". 

Ms Budgen said that at a certain point the tone of his messages "started to change, similar to when he had had a drink". 

She then received further "concerning" texts from Mr Brown and, after trying to call him, went to the tattoo shop where he was. 

When she arrived, he told her he "had taken a lot of tablets". When she asked him why, he said he had "had enough". 

Ms Budgen said: "I said how many have you taken and he showed me this empty packet, they were all gone." 

Haydn Brown with his ex-partner Kylie Cox and their children (Image: Public)

She tried to persuade him to go to hospital or to let her call an ambulance, but he "was having none of it". 

Ms Budgen added: "I kept saying we need to go to the hospital and he said no, but I said I am not going without you, so he said he would go with me." 

The pair went to McDonald's in Leigh to get some food in Mr Brown's system before going to her home on Hurst Street. 

When back, he fell asleep on the sofa in the living room, with Ms Budgen sleeping near to him and waking up multiple times during the night to make sure he was okay, checking she could still hear him snore. 

She then woke up at around 7am but "couldn't hear him snoring" and found him unresponsive. 

Ms Budgen called the police and paramedics, who pronounced him dead at the scene at 8.32am. 

She described him as "always positive, ambitious and looking towards the future" and said she "didn't believe" he had attempted to take his own life and that it was a "cry for help". 

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Haydn Brown (Image: Public)

Pathologist, Dr Richard Shepherd, said Mr Brown died as a result of toxicity from alcohol and the prescription pills he took. 

His GP, Dr Olivia Shaw, detailed a history of mental health issues suffered by Mr Brown, including PTSD and depression. 

The inquest heard how he had suffered a "traumatic experience" when working as a firefighter and Dr Shaw believed he used alcohol as a "coping mechanism". 

He was referred to Achieve Recovery Services, a Greater Manchester Mental Health program which provides treatment to help those with substance use issues. However, Mr Brown did not engage with the service. 

Concluding, Coroner Michael Pemberton ruled Mr Brown's death as misadventure. 

He said: "Haydn did take a quantity of (the tablets) and alcohol which did prove to be fatal. 

"But I am not satisfied that it was intentional. He did cause his death but it was not clear that it was done so with the intention of ending his own life." 

Addressing Ms Budgen, he said: "You showed appropriate attention and concern and slept downstairs with him. 

"I don't think you could have done anymore in the circumstances you were in."