Nick Sadler: UEA student 'anxious' about post-uni life

Nick Sadler was studying film and television at the University of East Anglia

A student found drowned in a lake had been worried about life after university, an inquest has heard.

Nick Sadler, 25, was found dead on 19 February, 11 days after disappearing from a shared student house in Norwich.

The film and television student had begun to take cannabis and his father told an inquest he believed "drug use played a part" in his son's death.

Norfolk's senior coroner, Jacqueline Lake, recorded a narrative conclusion at his inquest in Kings Lynn.

She said: "Mr Sadler was found dead having gone into the UEA lake. He had smoked cannabis prior to his death."

The inquest heard Mr Sadler had suffered anxiety since he was aged about 18 and the University of East Anglia had been informed of this prior to him starting his course.

Mr Sadler "took full advantage" of help and support from the university and met a mentor "almost weekly" following his arrival in 2015, the inquest was told.

Mentor Duncan Yuile said that on 6 February Mr Sadler seemed "more agitated than usual", but he added: "I had no concern for Nick's safety during this session."

Nick Sadler's father said his son had begun "normalising" cannabis use

Mr Sadler's housemate, Kieron Woodcock, "noticed him becoming more anxious again about life after university", the coroner said.

She said there was CCTV footage of Mr Sadler walking "purposefully" towards the lake at about 04:30 GMT on 8 February in jeans and a T-shirt in the cold and rain.

No suicide note was found, Mr Sadler had not mentioned suicidal thoughts and he had previously sought help when he needed it, the inquest heard.

Mr Sadler's father William said his son began "normalising" cannabis use and "would use artists as a reference of how cannabis expands your mind".

"I do believe that drug use played a part in the death of Nick," he added.