my brother didnt turn up last night, he was supposed to be spending today with his girl and he didnt show up for that either. then i went to buy a local paper and the top story was thisnot my brother)
At 12 He was dubbed the new Alan Shearer At 17John Courtney took his first fix of heroin At 21 His family issue picture of his horror death
By Jeremy Armstrong
HIS last fix still in his hand, a young addict who once had the footballing world at his feet lies dead in a grubby flat.
The body of John Courtney, 21, once dubbed the 'new Alan Shearer', was found slumped on a dirty carpet, topless, still clutching a syringe.
Yesterday, his family took the courageous decision to make it public in order to warn youngsters of the dangers of drugs.
In his youth, the loving son and brother had been tipped for footballing fame, playing alongside stars such as Fulham's Lee Clark and Newcastle United and England striker Michael Chopra.
Then heroin took over his life. Just two weeks before his 18th birthday, he took his first fix. He turned to crime to feed the habit. In just over three years, it killed him.
Now his close-knit family have released this harrowing picture of his body. It echoes the last photo of addict Rachel Whitear, who also died aged 21.
John's mum Angie, 46, of Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne, said: 'It's killing us looking at these pictures, but we know we have to release them to make sure something gets done.
'If we can save just one life by showing everyone how John ended up then it's worth it to us'The pain of losing John to heroin is unbearable. There's no tablet or words on God's Earth that can take the pain away.'
John's death came two weeks after he was released from Durham Prison, where he was on remand over a burglary charge. His body was discovered in his uncle's flat.
His sister Jo-Ann, 28, said: 'He went from being a lovely, happy lad to a horrible, nasty demon. By the end of his life, he was evil and was made that way by the devil's dust he was putting into his veinsYet his early years had been so full of promise.Striker John grew up with dreams of playing for his beloved Newcastle United, and he was taken into the club's School of Excellence aged 12.
Former United star Lee Clark would drive him to training because he thought the youngster was such a promising player.
But before his 18th birthday, John dabbled with heroin for the first time. He stole from his family to feed his habit - they called the police each time.
Jo--Ann added: 'He broke into my house three times. The last time, he took the kids' Christmas clothes to sell but he felt guilty, so gave them back.'
Rachel Whitear's parents Pauline and Michae Holcroft, of Ledbury, Herefordshire, used a picture of her body lying next to a syringe in a schools anti-drugs video
i was at work and i opened the page to a full scale picture of that boy lying there and i broke down. i spent over an hour in the bathroom and it still upsets me.
At 12 He was dubbed the new Alan Shearer At 17John Courtney took his first fix of heroin At 21 His family issue picture of his horror death
By Jeremy Armstrong
HIS last fix still in his hand, a young addict who once had the footballing world at his feet lies dead in a grubby flat.
The body of John Courtney, 21, once dubbed the 'new Alan Shearer', was found slumped on a dirty carpet, topless, still clutching a syringe.
Yesterday, his family took the courageous decision to make it public in order to warn youngsters of the dangers of drugs.
In his youth, the loving son and brother had been tipped for footballing fame, playing alongside stars such as Fulham's Lee Clark and Newcastle United and England striker Michael Chopra.
Then heroin took over his life. Just two weeks before his 18th birthday, he took his first fix. He turned to crime to feed the habit. In just over three years, it killed him.
Now his close-knit family have released this harrowing picture of his body. It echoes the last photo of addict Rachel Whitear, who also died aged 21.
John's mum Angie, 46, of Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne, said: 'It's killing us looking at these pictures, but we know we have to release them to make sure something gets done.
'If we can save just one life by showing everyone how John ended up then it's worth it to us'The pain of losing John to heroin is unbearable. There's no tablet or words on God's Earth that can take the pain away.'
John's death came two weeks after he was released from Durham Prison, where he was on remand over a burglary charge. His body was discovered in his uncle's flat.
His sister Jo-Ann, 28, said: 'He went from being a lovely, happy lad to a horrible, nasty demon. By the end of his life, he was evil and was made that way by the devil's dust he was putting into his veinsYet his early years had been so full of promise.Striker John grew up with dreams of playing for his beloved Newcastle United, and he was taken into the club's School of Excellence aged 12.
Former United star Lee Clark would drive him to training because he thought the youngster was such a promising player.
But before his 18th birthday, John dabbled with heroin for the first time. He stole from his family to feed his habit - they called the police each time.
Jo--Ann added: 'He broke into my house three times. The last time, he took the kids' Christmas clothes to sell but he felt guilty, so gave them back.'
Rachel Whitear's parents Pauline and Michae Holcroft, of Ledbury, Herefordshire, used a picture of her body lying next to a syringe in a schools anti-drugs video
i was at work and i opened the page to a full scale picture of that boy lying there and i broke down. i spent over an hour in the bathroom and it still upsets me.