Morphine in the body of one of Dr Harold Shipman's alleged victims could have come from drugs she was prescribed in the month before her death, Preston Crown Court was told yesertday (Wednesday).
Hyde GP Dr Shipman, 53, denies murdering 15 patients and forging the will of one of them.
As the defence got underway, toxicologist Julie Evans told the court tablets prescribed to one of the dead women, Ivy Lomas in May 1997 could have broken down into morphine.
On Tuesday Mrs Evans said she had found excessive levels of morphine in the body of Kathleen Grundy, 81, Ms Pomfret and Winifred Mellor, 79.
She said her findings were entirely consistent with those seen in deaths attributed to excessive doses of morphine.
The jury was told by the defence Mrs Evans's analysis may have been ground-breaking but it was based on anecdotal evidence and was not definitive.
Defending, QC Nicola Davies said: "You don't know as a matter of fact where and at what level any drug was in the body at the time of death."
Mrs Evans replied: "That's correct."
Miss Davies also suggested to the court that the morphine found in the stomach of alleged victim Joan Melia, 73, could have come from slow-releasing morphine tablets.
In the case of the youngest alleged victim Bianka Pomfret, 49, Miss Davies told the court that after her death her psychiatrist suspected she could have taken her own life.
The case continues.
PA NEWS
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