Huddersfield man dies after taking methadone on night out

May 21 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Mr Castle said he had never seen his friend take methadone before.

A post-mortem examination revealed that Mr Pinkney died from brain damage following a heart attack caused by the alcohol and methadone overdose.

Toxicologist Richard Sykes told the inquest Mr Pinkney was a naive user of the artificially manufactured methadone, which isnormally prescribed to help wean addicts off drugs like heroin.

He said: “Methadone is a central nervous system depressant.

“While a regular user would build up a tolerance to its toxic effects, to a naive user it could prove lethal – particularly when combined with alcohol.”

Mr Sykes said that as little as 25mils of methadone could prove fatal to a naive user.

Coroner Roger Whittaker said that while methadone is prescribed it is freely available on the streets, usually traded by drug users.

Recording a verdict of accidental death he said: “In Mr Pinkney’s drunkenness he was persuaded to buy some methadone which was available on the street.

“The combination of alcohol and methadone caused his central nervous system to become so depressed he stopped breathing.

“This is a tragic accident and there’s no evidence to suggest he was habitually abusing drugs.

“It’s a wake-up call for all young people that when one is drinking all sorts of things might happen.”