Lethal drugs cocktail killed man

The hearing was told how Andrew Purdie, of the Hendley Hotel, Queen Street, Colne, had 'dabbled' in and abused different drugs over the years.

Mr Purdie had enough of the heroin substitute methadone in his body to kill him, but he had also taken several other substances.

Recording a verdict Mr Purdie died of drugs misuse, Acting East Lancashire Coroner Richard Taylor, said he was not at all convinced he intended to take his own life as there had been no evidence of that. He added Mr Purdie had mixed methadone with diazepan. Diazepan had been properly prescribed to him by his doctor, but methadone was sadly readily available on the streets for those who wanted it.

The inquest, at Burnley magistrates' court, was told how Mr Purdie died on November 11. His good friend, Jill O'Leary, told the hearing she had gone to the Hendley Hotel and found his door ajar.

Mr Purdie was on his bed with the covers over him and she thought he was asleep. She touched his face, realised something was wrong and immediately went for help.

Miss O'Leary said Mr Purdie liked a drink and, as far as drugs were concerned "dabbled in everything." She knew he had taken methadone in the past.

Home Office Forensic Pathologist Dr Charles Wilson, who conducted a post mortem, said Mr Purdie had a history of drug abuse and had been treated for psychiatric problems.

Mr Purdie had narrowing of some of his coronary arteries and chronic scarring of his veins, typical of that seen in people who had injected drugs. There was no evidence of recent injection.

The doctor said Mr Purdie had previously suffered a head injury but that had completely healed and there was no evidence it had contributed to his death.

Dr Wilson said in Mr Purdie's body he had found methadone, diazepan, opiates, traces of amphetamine, cannabis and break down products of diazepan.

The level of methadone was sufficient to kill him. The pathologist gave the cause of death as a mixture of methadone and diazepan.