University student killed himself after becoming addicted to cocaine

A promising university student turned into a ‘party animal’ and killed himself after struggling to battle cocaine addiction, his heartbroken mother has revealed.

Jake Knowles, 21, hanged himself from a banister at his lodgings after using the drug for two years.

His party lifestyle had become increasingly tinged with bouts of depression his mother, Suzanne Knowles, revealed yesterday.

She said: ‘Cocaine definitely affected him mentally and changed his personality.

‘It was a build-up of drink and drugs - people of his age think that they are invincible.

‘Jake was a party animal and it was very hard to get away from the drugs because other people were doing the same thing.

‘Drugs were a chronic problem and he was really depressed and sick of his lifestyle, but couldn’t get out of his situation.’

A coroner blamed cocaine for Jake’s death - even though he had not used the drug in the 24 hours before he killed himself.

There were traces of the drug in his blood and he had drunk about nine pints of lager while on a night out with friends in Manchester in January, his inquest was told.

City coroner Nigel Meadows told Jake’s parents: ‘I have little doubt that the consumption of cocaine over a period of time affected his mental health.

‘I am entirely convinced this drug has been the root cause of his death. It can change your personality and your reaction to family and friends.’

Mrs Knowles said her son, who was studying politics and philosophy at Manchester University, was living a normal life of lectures, weekend work and parties.

He had confided that his cocaine habit was causing depression.

He had been due to see a GP about it three days before he died, but he returned late from university and missed the appointment.

Mrs Knowles, of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, said: ‘Jake was no different from any other student.

‘He took drugs to have the confidence to party. When not out partying, he was a quiet and sensitive person.

‘His case is not unusual - it just came to a tragic conclusion.

‘What happened to Jake is proof of what cocaine can do to people’s minds.

‘It screws up your mood and changes your brain chronically. If Jake had realised, he might not have gone into it.’

Mr Meadows revealed during the hearing that he was starting a new programme in Manchester inviting a party of sixth-form schoolgirls to inquests ‘to show them what happens when you dabble with drugs’.

He recorded a verdict that Jake had killed himself.