Heartbroken mum of Leeds Council IT worker waited over four hours for paramedic after finding son's body

Diane Meldrum sat and hugged William Meldrum, a 24-year-old Leeds City Council worker, after finding him on the sofa with his computer keyboard on his lap and still wearing his glasses.

It was only after the attending police officer rang the ambulance service and “became aggressive” after several hours, that a paramedic finally arrived at the property on Princes Gate in Horbury, Wakefield.

A statement from his father, Daniel Meldrum, was read out to Wakefield Coroner’s Court today which he described the treatment as “abysmal”.

Led by senior coroner Kevin McLoughlin, the hearing was told that William had developed an addiction to the sedative drug, diazepam, to cope with his spiralling depression and anxiety.

The IT service officer would buy the drug over the internet but was frustrated at being unable to get the help from the NHS and local drug-counselling services.

He was also hindered by only having over-the-phone services during the pandemic.

Saying he “helped everybody else but himself”, his mother told the coroner that William accidentally overdosed twice.

His family eventually paid for private rehabilitation but he continued to struggle.

At the end of last year he moved into the flat with a friend in Horbury, and seemed to be doing well by weening himself off diazepam.

His mother Diane Meldrum told the coroner that the day before his death he was “upbeat” having found another job with Leeds City Council.

William did not go to work the next day, and his mother entered his flat the following evening only to make the horrific discovery.

She found him at around 6.30pm on April 14, but he was not certified deceased until 11.09pm.

No reason was provided for the delay.

A pathologist’s report showed William had sedatives in his system, but only therapeutic amounts.

Traces of cocaine were also found, to which the pathologist attributed to the medical cause of death.

However, no evidence of cocaine was found in his flat.

Remaining sceptical, Mr McLoughlin recorded an open verdict, saying he was not “entirely convinced” by the findings, to which his mother agreed.

The Yorkshire Ambulance Service has been contacted for a comment.