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Ex-heroin user's methadone death

John Fahey
17/ 2/2003

A FORMER heroin user died after taking a fatal dose of the drug's substitute methadone.

East Lancashire Coroner Mr Michael Singleton recorded a verdict of "misadventure'' on mother-of-two Julie Eddleston who died at her home in Walmsley Close, Church, in November.

Miss Eddleston's mother, Mrs Patricia Culshaw, of St James Road, Church, said that her daughter had become very upset after children smashed a door panel at her house.

Mrs Culshaw said her daughter, who had complained about pains in her stomach before her death, had collected a daily prescription of 80 microgrammes of methadone.

PC Wendy Campbell said police had forced an entry into Miss Eddleston's home after her family had not seen her for six days. They discovered her seated in a chair with a bottle of methadone in her hand.

There were other containers of the drug nearby, together with other medication, PC Campbell added.

A post-mortem carried out by Home Office pathologist Dr Richard Prescott found that there were 400 microgrammes per litre of methadone in her body. This would normally be enough to kill someone.

The Coroner said he was satisfied that Miss Eddleston had not deliberately taken an overdose because of the presence of large quantities of unused methadone which were found at her home.

He added: "It is tragic that in doing her best to overcome her addiction to heroin, she should come to lose her life in this way.''