A GRIEVING sister has hit out at an addict who he refused to tell police who supplied the methadone that killed her brother.

After the inquest into the death of Ronald Michael Walsh, who had consumed six times the fatal dose of the drug, his sister Mrs Linda Bolton, 45, from Darwen broke down in tears and told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph: "Jason Smith should be made to tell.

"He knows who supplied the methadone that killed my brother yet he won't tell police. He will have this on his conscience for the rest of life.

"These people should be put away for not telling police what they know."

Detective Sergeant Phil Vernon told the family Mr Smith, who attended the inquest in Burnley, would not tell him who was at the party when Mr Walsh, 25, swapped his Oasis compact discs for a supply of methadone.

Addict Mr Smith, who lives with fellow addict Angela Mary Cannon, at Walton Street, Colne, had collected Mr Walsh by taxi on July 23 from a Rochdale drug rehabilitation centre.

They met at the centre early this year when he was being treated for heroin addiction.

That night they were joined by three friends and they all smoked cannabis.

Mr Smith said: "They sorted a deal out. He got half the methadone that night and I saw him take it. The next day we went to pick up the rest. I had not seen him take the second lot."

Mr Walsh was found by Miss Cannon at 4am on July 25. His lips were blue and he had been sick. He was dead on arrival at Burnley General Hospital. Mrs Bolton said Mr Walsh, a former pupil at St Wilfrid's School, Blackburn, been drug-free for four months apart from smoking "wacky baccy."

Mrs Bolton, who was Ronald's only close family member, questioned Mr Smith at the inquest saying: "Why did you not stop him taking it?"

But Mr Smith said he could not stop another person doing something if he wanted to.

Detective Sergeant Vernon said Mr Smith had been cautioned over supplying Mr Walsh with cannabis.

Speaking today Mrs Bolton said: "I haven't slept all night thinking about what has happened. If it wasn't for the dealers Ronny would still be here today. I can't believe even the police can't force these so-called friends to identify the dealers."

After the hearing, Detective Inspector Ronnie Griffiths said: "It is apparent deaths are occuring more frequently in this area in relation to the supply of methadone which has been obtained other than by prescription. It is a dangerous drug it is is not properly controlled.

"In many cases methadone has been obtained illicitly which has ultimately caused the deaths of people taking it."

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