MTV engineer found hanged after 'bad trip' on drugs

A broadcast engineer who was found hanging at his home had taken drugs which appear to have altered his thinking, a coroner said today.

Simon Bonham-Carter, 40, who had worked for MTV for 15 years, was found by his partner, who told Inner London South coroner's court he thought Mr Bonham-Carter had a "bad trip".

Inner London South assistant coroner Sarah Ormond Walshe said: "There is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that he intended to die, but sadly he had taken some drugs which had caused his mind to not think in a normal way."

She added: "He had a very successful job, doesn't seem to have been a major drug user in the past, but he had a temporary dark thought, is the word his partner has used, that's probably a good word, while under the influence of drugs that night."

She gave a finding of drug related self harm.

Mr Bonham-Carter's partner for eight years, Paul Naylor, told the hearing that Mr Bonham-Carter took cocaine and ketamine recreationally, which was not something he was particularly into himself.

He found him at about 4am on August 14 at home in Streatham Hill, south London. The day before had been a perfectly normal day, he said.

Mr Naylor woke at 4am and Mr Bonham-Carter was not in the bed. He looked for him and realised "that he had done something stupid".

The inquest heard that Mr Bonham-Carter's GP notes mentioned problems of anxiety and depression at different times.

Mr Naylor said: "I don't think he was in a depressive state at that point in his life. I think he had a bit of a bad trip."