A heavy drinker who experimented with methadone fo

A heavy drinker who experimented with methadone for the first time died after mixing the drug with alcohol, an inquest was told.

Michael Collins, 36, hallucinated after the chemicals combined in his body to deadly effect, Southwark Coroners Court told.

Girlfriend Moya Lynch, who is now a serving prisoner and appeared in court in handcuffs said she had been with Mr Collins for six or seven months.

She insisted: ‘He had never taken drugs at all.

Not illegal drugs.

Well, he did not before he died.

‘

Describing her lover’s last night at their home in (18) Westdale Road, Forest Hill, on May 13 this year, Miss Lynch said: ‘He was drunk and was speaking about things that weren’t there.

‘He couldn’t stand up, so I put him on the couch and he just went to sleep.

And in the morning he wasn’t alive.

I was in shock after that.

‘

A pathologist found the primary cause of death to be was obstructed airways and the second was methadone intoxication.

Coroner Selena Lynch said: ‘This man was never known to use methadone.

There’s always a first time but I just don’t have any direct evidence of the circumstances he taken it.

‘The alcohol level was extremely high and in a naive drinker could lead to death in itself.

‘

‘The alcohol has obviously acted with the methadone.

‘I have to record an open verdict though I must say there’s nothing suspicious in the death.

‘

Verdict: Open
ends