Tribute paid to ‘kind and loving’ Eastbourne man

Tribute has been paid to a ‘kind and loving’ sports fan from Eastbourne.

Russell George Pellett, 55, was found dead in his Cavendish Place address on July 8, 2021.

Mr Pellett’s sister, Lisa Burton-Durham, said her brother was enjoying life in his new studio flat – which he moved to in April 2021.

Mrs Burton-Durham said, “Russell spent much of his life living away from his family.

“He seemed to be really trying to turn things around.”

Mrs Burton-Durham said her brother was also planning on meeting his son Benjamin before the pandemic hit.

She added, “He really seemed to be enjoying spending time with us.

“He told me he was the happiest he had ever been.”

According to a report from STAR, a drug and alcohol service, Mr Pellett had made positive progress before his death.

Mrs Burton-Durham told the inquest at Eastbourne Town Hall on Thursday, November 25 that her ‘kind and loving’ brother, who was a Brighton and Hove Albion fan, had helped others battling with drug addiction.

Mr Pellett’s sister said she contacted Sussex Police on July 8 to see if they could pay her brother a welfare visit – after she had not heard from him in a couple of days.

Police visited Mr Pellett’s address and found him dead in the flat.

Mrs Burton-Durham said, “His death is such a waste, despite his demons he had so much to give.”

A toxicology report from Rob Moore suggested that Mr Pellett’s cause of death was drug toxicity while Sussex Police ruled out the possibility of third-party involvement.

East Sussex coroner Alan Craze said, “In a case like this there are two potential verdicts. One is non-dependent abuse of drugs and one is dependent.

“I just wish that education systems could be improved and better funded to try and make sure that as few people as possible get hooked onto the ladder of drug use.”

Mr Craze recorded a verdict of death due to a dependence on drugs.