Two men found dead in the grounds of St Margaret’s Church died of mixed drug overdoses, an inquest heard.

Gabriel Kovari, 22, and Daniel Whitworth, 21, were found at the Barking church within one month of each other. Both had taken GHB and methadone.

Mr Whitworth had “blamed himself for Mr Kovari’s death” after they took GHB together at an orgy in Barking, Walthamstow Coroner’s Court heard on Friday.

A dog walker found Slovakian-born Mr Kovari on August 28 last year while Mr Whitworth, from Kent, was found on September 20.

In a note he was holding in his left hand, Mr Whitworth had written: “I can’t go on anymore, I took the life of my friend Gabriel.

“We were just having some fun at a mate’s place and I got carried away and gave him another shot of G[HB]. It was an accident, I know I will go to prison if I go to the

police.”

The note, which said the pair had had sex at the party, continued: “I have taken what G[HB] I had left, with sleeping pills – if it does kill me it’s what I deserve.

“This way I can at least be with Gabriel again.”

A statement from Mr Kovari’s family said he was a gifted artist who had wanted to make a difference.

“He was full of love and care for others and loved the company of his friends,” a letter from his brother and mum which was read out in court, said. “He had been a very inquisitive and special child gifted in arts.

“He had excellent relationships with all his relatives and the desire to prove himself to the world.”

John Pape, who lived with Mr Kovari before he moved to Barking, learned from a friend of a friend that the pair had been seen “acting like a couple”.

Mr Pape said he wasn’t aware of Mr Kovari using drugs, though he did notice “painkillers” at home.

“He said his mother was a chemist and he had drugs,” he said. “I presumed they were painkillers and wasn’t aware of him taking recreational drugs.”

He added Mr Kovari had not seemed depressed and was meeting men through gay social network site Grindr.

However he remembers seeing a poem “on the theme of loneliness” in his room that he thinks might have been Mr Kovari’s.

Coroner Nadia Persaud read a statement from Mr Whitworth’s father, Adam Whitworth, which described his son as a happy man who loved gardening.

“He was an active and intelligent outdoors boy who loved days on his bike exploring leafy byways,” it read. “Those who knew him were shocked by this terrible news.”

Ms Persaud recorded an open verdict.