Coroner finds drugs played role in two deaths

Drugs played a role in two accidental deaths investigated at Dublin City Coroner's Court yesterday.

Drugs played a role in two accidental deaths investigated at Dublin City Coroner's Court yesterday.

Jeremy McHugh (34), Whitworth Road, Drumcondra, died on November 24th last year of cocaine and heroin intoxication, an inquest determined.

He overdosed in the toilets of the Chancery Inn, Inns Quay,Dublin, the coroner's court was told.

Mr McHugh was a heroin user who had both cocaine and heroin in his blood when he died. His body was found after a customer at the Chancery Inn found the door blocked to the pub's single bathroom stall. A bartender who forced his way into the stall believed that Mr McHugh was dead even before an ambulance was called.

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Deputy city coroner Maria Colbert recorded a verdict of death by misadventure due to cocaine and heroin intoxication.

Ms Colbert also recorded a verdict of misadventure in the death of Suzanne Doherty (35), Markievicz House, Pearse Street.

Ms Doherty was a recovering heroin addict who had accidentally taken a fatal dose of methadone, a heroin substitute, and the anti-depressant Trimipramine, the court heard.

The alarm was raised when Ms Doherty's three-year-old granddaughter told her mother that "she couldn't wake Nanna up", the court heard.

Ms Doherty took many medications, including sedatives, said her daughter, Keira Doherty.

She said her mother would hold on to her medications, often not using them on some days and then taking double doses on others.

Ms Colbert said the methadone level in Ms Doherty's bloodstream was more than double the toxic dose and the Trimipramine in her system was five times the toxic amount.

She had probably been dead for five hours before her granddaughter tried to wake her, Ms Colbert said.