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First posted on Antidepaware
Accrington Observer
By Jon Macpherson
A metal fabricators worker died after taking methadone, an inquest heard. Darren Kehoe, 37, died at a friend’s flat.
Darren Kehoe, 37, of Coniston Avenue, Accrington, was found to have other prescription drugs in his system.
Blackburn Coroners Court also heard that he had developed a chest infection and bronchopneumonia.
Mr Kehoe, a powder paint coater and former restaurant waiter, stopped breathing at a friends flat in Juniper Court, Accrington, on Sunday, August 11.
He was taken to intensive care at Royal Blackburn Hospital but died three days later.
Consultant pathologist Dr Muhammed Aslam told the hearing how a post mortem examination showed other drugs in his system including amphetamines, sleeping pills and anti-depressants.
Mr Kehoe’s brother Anthony Pemberton said he was prescribed methadone but only took it ‘sporadically’ when he was coming off amphetamines.
The inquest heard how on Thursday, August 8, Mr Kehoe spent £20 on amphetamines.
Two days later Mr Kehoe slept over night at neighbour Donna Lawson’s flat on Saturday.
He was asleep until around 4pm the next day when he stopped breathing, the inquest heard.
Miss Lawson said: “On Saturday he was all right.
“We went and sat on Highams Cricket Field all day with my two dogs and he was fine. He seemed normal. He was a heavy sleeper and snored.
“I was in the kitchen and could hear him snoring then he just stopped. I put my hand over his mouth and he wasn’t breathing.”
Jonathan Williams, who also lives in the flat, said he had a conversation with Mr Kehoe at around 10pm on the Saturday where he told him he had taken methadone.
He said: “At first he was normal and then he started getting quite sleepy.
“He fell asleep about 11pm and was sleeping quite normally.
“He said he had taken the same amount before so I wasn’t overly concerned.”
Coroner Michael Singleton ruled Mr Kehoe died of a drug-related death.
He said: “It affected his central nervous system and his breathing became shallowed
“There was evidence he had a fatty liver which would mean whatever in his system was not being cleared up as quickly as it should be.
“He developed chest infection which ultimately proved fatal.”