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Man in ‘high spirits’ overdosed on ecstacy
A BANK holiday night out ended in tragedy after a successful graphic designer died from an accidental overdose of the dance drug ecstasy, an inquest heard.
David Green, who lived in Pimlico, died in the University College London Hospital on May 3 after taking seven times the fatal limit of the highly potent derivative of the Class A drug, MDMA.
The 32-year-old was found in a “desperate state” covered in cuts and bruises wearing just a shirt in Streatham Street, Bloomsbury at 7.30am. He was last seen by friends at around 3.30am.
Deputy St Pancras coroner Gail Eliman said: “There was blood on the pavement and he was screaming. It was as if he was having a fit or seizure. He went into cardiac arrest in the ambulance.”
She added: “This was a traditional accidental death through an unintentional overdose of MDMA.”
The court heard that Mr Green had “dabbed” MDMA crystals from a bag over the course of an 10-hour drinking session with six friends spanning six bars across the West End.
“We were all fairly inebriated,” said Thomas Roebuck, a former flat mate of Mr Green. “It was bank holiday weekend and we were expecting to have a few [pints].
“We had all taken MDMA, as far as I am aware.
“But David seemed coherent. He was in high spirits.”
James Clements, a colleague of Mr Green’s, said: “I did not believe he had taken much more than anyone else.”
He had not been seen by his friends since they left him in Oxford Street around 3.30am.
Despite heavy CCTV in the area, police said no footage accounting for the last three hours of Mr Green’s life had been recovered.
Sergeant Barry Loder said the death was being treated as “unexplained”.
The inquest heard how Mr Green’s credit card had been declined four times at banks in Oxford Street.
Toxicology reports showed Mr Green had 3.2 milligrams of MDMA in his blood.
Blood levels above 0.5 milligrams are “associated with serious toxicity”, said the coroner.
She added: “He unintentionally took more than he intended for no obvious reason.”
Verdict: accidental death. |
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