Alnwick man died after drugs cocktail

Jamie Pearce, 27, was found dead in a flat at Green Batt on June 30 last year, Monday’s hearing at Berwick Magistrates’ Court was told.

The inquest heard that Mr Pearce, of no fixed abode, had a history of drugs use. A post-mortem put his death down to amphetamines, morphine, diazempam, paracetamol and other drugs in his system and broncho-pneumonia.

The inquest heard that Mr Pearce had been asked to leave a house in Alnwick on June 29 because of his drug-taking.

At 2.30am he banged on the door of a flat rented by Gavin Pierce (no relation) and his partner Lisa Murphy and was let in. Ms Murphy, who has also now died, had given a statement to police which said Mr Pearce was swaying and slurring his words. He took a few lines of heroin and fell asleep on the lounge floor.

She woke at 5.30am when her partner went to work but went back to sleep and was woken at 11am when two acquaintances knocked at the door. It was only then that Mr Pearce’s lifeless body was noticed. She called an ambulance but Mr Pierce was dead.

The hearing heard that, on June 28, Mr Pierce had been bragging to Ms Murphy about how many ‘blues’ (morphine sulphate)he had taken.

Andrew Hetherington, assistant coroner for north Northumberland, said: “I am satisfied this is death as a result of deliberate consumption of illicit drugs. He was a heavy user.”