A man who drowned in the river Lagan while hiding from police was drunk and on drugs, an inquest has heard.

Oran Rodgers, 28, had been snorting cocaine and drinking alcohol in his hotel room at the Ramada near Shaw's Bridge in Belfast on a birthday celebration weekend last November.

Hotel managers called the police to deal with the noise and Mr Rodgers, who was facing unrelated charges of alleged disorderly behaviour elsewhere, panicked and escaped the scene.

He was also in breach of his bail conditions.

Mr Rodgers made his way towards the night-shrouded riverbank near the Lock Keeper’s Cottage.

Eyewitness Trevor O'Brien put the headlights on in his car and directed them on the river before fetching rope in the hope of saving the person he saw "thrashing about" in the water.

But by the time he and his girlfriend Lisa Blyth reached the water's edge, a floating trainer was the only thing visible.

Mr O'Brien said: "The person had disappeared and I thought they clambered out somewhere. I was extremely shocked and upset about what happened and not being able to help more at the time."

Senior coroner John Leckey said he seemed to be dealing with cocaine-related deaths with greater frequency, despite it being one of the most expensive drugs on the market. Mr Leckey said the victim drowned after taking cocaine and alcohol.

(NE)