Coroner's cocaine warning after 'loveable' dad-of-two died during psychotic episode

Wayne McInerney, who suffered with mental health problems, died when his airway became blocked after he stuffed tissue and other objects into his mouth.

The 33-year-old hospital porter was having a psychotic episode, brought on by mixing cocaine and alcohol with medication prescribed for anxiety and depression.

At an inquest in Clitheroe, coroner James Newman told Wayne's family: "If anything good can come of Wayne's death it would be to highlight to others the risks and dangers of using cocaine while taking prescribed medication."

The inquest heard that on September 10 2018, Wayne, his partner at the time, Halima Akhtar, her brother Qasim Akhtar and a neighbour, Sarah Wilson, had been out for a meal and to smoke shisha at The Rock in Bury.

During the evening, cocaine and alcohol had been consumed by Wayne, Miss Akhtar and Miss Wilson, and upon returning to Miss Akhtar's home on Troy Street in Blackburn, the four continued drinking and chatting until the early hours.

Mr Newman said: "In the early hours of the morning, Wayne began behaving strangely.

"He started pacing up and down the room, said he felt overheated, had taken all his clothes off in the bedroom and started forcing items in his mouth, such as toilet roll, foil and plant matter."

It was heard that Miss Akhtar tried to stop Wayne from putting things in his mouth, but could not stop him.

She eventually called for help when he smashed a phone and set it on fire in the bedroom.

Her brother, Qasim Akhtar along with Sarah Wilson came to assist and attempted to restrain Wayne.

According to Mr Akhtar's statement, the time was around 3.30am, and he suggested an ambulance be called as he was worried that the situation would escalate.

Mr Newman told the inquest the situation did escalate but an ambulance was not called as Miss Akhtar 'had dealt with this behaviour from Wayne before and knew what she was doing'.

However, Wayne, of Sapphire Street, Blackburn, began to turn grey and stopped breathing.

According to the statements of both Mr Akhtar and Miss Akhtar, around 45 minutes had passed, and an ambulance was called at 4.18am, with control operators instructing CPR to be administered.

Paramedics arrived, CPR continued and Wayne was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 5.45am on September 11.

Miss Akhtar and Mr Akhtar were arrested at the hospital on suspicion of murder after a nurse said she overheard Mr Akhtar say to his sister 'I saw you shove it in his mouth'.

Sarah Wilson was arrested on suspicion of murder later that morning. All three were later released without charge.

Senior investigating officer, Det Supt Andy Cribbin told the inquest arrests had been made because of comments made by the nurse and in initial interviews there had been discrepancies in timings from the different witnesses.

He said: "While there were some discrepancies, all three gave consistent accounts of what had gone on.

"We had 30 officers working on the case and mobile phones were seized, the houses of Halima and Sarah were searched and following extensive investigation we were satisfied that there was no third party involvement in Wayne's death and we released all three from custody."

Giving evidence, Dr Charles Wilson, a consultant forensic pathologist, said: "Toxicology was taken and evidence of cocaine, alcohol, diazepam, which wasn't prescribed, and amitriptyline, which wasn't prescribed, were present in his blood.

"These combined can cause or exacerbate psychotic behaviour and cause acute behaviour disturbance.

"If someone has mental health problems then illicit drug use will exacerbate these problems.

"A medical cause of death is offered as airway obstruction with acute behaviour disturbance."

Mr Newman told the inquest that Wayne had been prescribed the sedative zopiclone and anti-depressant citalopram and had a history of erratic behaviour.

He said this was made worse when Wayne mixed cocaine and alcohol along with his medication, and was usually characterised by placing objects into his mouth or developing an unusual obsession with water.

In one incident he flooded his flat and other times he had tried flushing clothes down the toilet.

Wayne was seen by mental health practitioners on three occasions following an incident of a similar nature in January 2018 for which he had been admitted to Royal Blackburn Hospital.

The last meeting with a member of the mental health team had been on June 13 2018, where it was noted Wayne was not displaying evidence of wanting to self harm, and had admitted he had experienced 'mental breakdowns' in the past.

He then failed to engage with the service again.

After the inquest, Wayne's mother, Donna McInerney said: "He was a loveable lad and had two children with his partner of 15 years, Vicky.

"He adored those children and was a real family man.

"He loved food and his motto was 'if he was eating, you would eat'.

"If he was walking down the street he would give money to the homeless, he would give them his clothes if he could've done.

"He had a lovely heart. Don't get me wrong, he gave Vicky some hard times but he would help anyone in need, and probably thought Halima was in need.

"He worked as a porter at the hospital, and everyone there knew him. Everyone always says 'we can still hear that laugh'.

"This has destroyed our family."

Mr Newman recorded a misadventure conclusion.

He said: "I have heard a lot of evidence and I cannot say that his relationship at the time caused or contributed to his death.

"In the early hours of September 11, he developed an acute behaviour disturbance, having ingested cocaine.

"During this episode he began to force items into his mouth ultimately resulting in an airway obstruction.

"Despite maximal intervention by clinicians and paramedics, he passed away later that morning at the Royal Blackburn Hospital."