An inquest into the death of Nigel Bom has begun. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
An inquest into the death of Nigel Bom has been told about a incident in which he was held captive and accused of stealing a car.
The 37-year-old died in Christchurch in 2021.
The inquest, which started on Monday morning, was subject to wide-ranging suppressions.
The first witness, whose identity was suppressed, said about two months before Bom's death, the witness was contacted and told Bom was being held captive by people who thought he had stolen a car.
The witness went to Bom's housing complex where Bom was being held in a car, the inquest heard.
He removed Bom from the car and punched the person he believed was responsible for stealing the car, who was also at the same housing complex, the witness said.
Bom later told the witness the person he had punched was mad at Bom for talking to the witness about allegedly stealing the car.
The witness said he knew Bom was a heavy cannabis user, and he said Bom had also asked him for methamphetamine, but he had refused.
Bom told him he was being forced to use intravenous drugs by people who lived in his housing complex.
The witness said he saw needle marks on Bom's arms.
He did not ask what type of drugs were being used.
The witness said Bom had epilepsy and would often have severe epileptic fits, which at times resulted in him receiving hospital care.
He described Bom thrashing around and foaming at the mouth.
A second witness, who saw Bom most days and was accused of supplying him with drugs, said she was not concerned when she didn't hear from him for five days before he was found dead.
The second witness, who also had name suppression, said she last saw Bom alive on 24 March 2021.
On 30 March she was told Bom was dead.
The witness was asked by the counsel assisting the coroner, Lucila van Dam, whether she was concerned for his welfare when she did not see him for five days.
Two other associates gave statements saying they raised concerns with the witness when Bom had not been seen or answered his door for several days, van Dam said.
The witness said she was not concerned because while Bom would often visit her, there were other times when she would not see him for sometime, and there were times when he would not answer his door to visitors.
Van Dam said there was evidence from others who claimed she had been supplying Bom with methamphetamine and selling prescription drugs on his behalf.
The witness said that was not true.
Bom had used drugs when he was younger, including sniffing solvents at age four, smoking hash by age 12 and having a period in which he drank a lot of alcohol, the witness said.
In a statement to police following Bom's death, the witness said she did not think Bom had dabbled in drugs, but on the witness stand on Monday she admitted she knew he smoked cannabis and Bom felt methamphetamine helped with his epilepsy.
The inquest was set down for five days and will continue on Tuesday.
