THE body of a Watford man, who died of a drugs overdose just hours after his release from prison, was left in a caravan for three days before being dumped in a field by his junkie friends, an inquest at Hatfield Coroners' Court heard last Thursday.

Watford-born Christopher Sturman, 33, of no fixed abode, binged on heroin and cocaine with Louise Rouse and Paul Rownin, of Luton, on January 14, following a brief spell in Bedford Prison.

Mr Sturman spent £120 on the drugs, going out three or four times to get them, coroner Edward Thomas told the court.

"Ms Rouse went to meet him at 10.30am. He said he wanted to get some drugs," he said. "They went out and got some cocaine, which he took.

"They also had some heroin, which she gave him a spoon for.

"When they had finished, he wanted more and went out repeatedly to get some. Later that evening, Ms Rouse and Mr Rownin realised he was unwell."

After his last heroin hit at 8.45pm, Mr Sturman's lips had turned blue and his eyes had closed.

Thinking he was asleep, Ms Rouse and Mr Rownin took him to their caravan before going out to collect their methadone prescriptions the next morning.

When they got back later that day they found Mr Sturman lying dead.

The couple, who had known Mr Sturman for a number of years, panicked over what do to with the body.

Mr Thomas said: "They took a few days to decide what to do with the body.

"They did not contact the police. Instead, they got a motor car and took him, on January 18, to somewhere he might be found."

His body was dumped in a field in Pastures Lane, Hitchin, and found the next morning by a local beekeeper.

Joseph Farr, of Hitchin, was on his daily walk when he made the grim find.

"At first, he thought it might be a pile of clothes," said Mr Thomas.

"He went straight back home to his son, Ivan, who came back and they soon discovered it was the body of a dead man.

"Police received a 999 call and various officers went to the scene."

Detective Lisa Naughton said: "I could see the clothes. A few metres into the field was Mr Sturman's body, with his arms raised up above his head. The top half of his clothes had ridden up as if he had been dragged."

A post mortem examination on January 20 confirmed he had been left lying face down for at least six hours.

But it was clear he had not been assaulted.

Earlier this year, Ms Rouse and Mr Rownin were jailed for offences relating to the supply of drugs, removing the body and preventing a burial.

Mr Thomas said: "If they had contacted the police straight away there would not have been any charges whatsoever.

"It's clear Mr Sturman had taken the drugs himself and had purchased them himself.

"But by preventing burial and removing him from the scene of his death the offences accumulated.

"If this happens, it is best to get in touch with the police straight away, otherwise you go to prison."

Summing up, Mr Thomas gave the cause of death as accidental.

"This is not the first time an ex-convict has believed they are quite capable of resuming the same drug habit they went into prison with.

"Mr Sturman needed to be detoxified, but he came out and abused drugs. His tolerance to the drugs had been greatly reduced, as he had no access to those drugs in prison.

"The effects of cocaine and morphine are completely opposite. The respiratory system just cannot cope with it. "