Shropshire Star

Couple found dead at house in Oswestry had taken drugs

A couple found dead in a Shropshire house died after taking a number of drugs, an inquest heard.

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Erw Wen where the bodies were discovered. Picture: Google StreetView

Carly Louise Davies, aged 29, and Vincent Laws, 31, were discovered by Miss Davies’ mother at an address in Erw Wen, Morda, on April 8.

Both had a number of drugs in their system, including tramadol, diazepam, morphine, and in Miss Davies’ case, cocaine.

Assistant coroner Heath Westerman told an inquest at Shirehall yesterday, that both died from the consumption of a number of drugs “including but not restricted to morphine”.

Mr Westerman read a statement from Dr Joanna Stafford who carried out the post mortem on the couple.

She gave cause of death as multi drug toxicity, due to a number of drugs found in both of the deceased. She also said they had suffered from collapsed lungs.

Mr Laws’ father Trevor attended the inquest and a statement was read out on his behalf by the coroner.

He said the self-employed builder had lived on the Isle of Wight, and had taken steroids in the past for his body building.

Mr Laws said his son had suffered from a bad back, and had been prescribed morphine, but had said it made him feel “like a zombie”.

At the time of his death, his father believed he was visiting friends in Wales, but didn’t know his son was in relationship.

A statement from Miss Davies’ mother Tracey said the former Marches School pupil had held a number of jobs, before being diagnosed as bipolar and with a personality disorder in her 20s. She said her daughter took diet pills, and suffered with sleeping and eating issues, and began to isolate herself.

She added she had self harmed and attempted to overdose on prescription drugs three times.

Her mother said, in 2013, Miss Davies had trouble functioning, and she had to look after her daughter’s child.

Miss Davies said she was never aware of her daughter taking street drugs.

She found the couple dead on a bed after failing to get in touch with her daughter.

In March this year, she discovered her daughter had met Mr Laws, and he came to visit in April 2017.

On April 7, Miss Davies looked after her grand child, and the couple spent the evening together. They were due to pick up the child the following day.

However they never turned up, and after attempting to contact her daughter, Miss Davies and her grand child visited the home in Morda at around 5.30pm.

Miss Davies gained entry through a side door, went upstairs, and found the couple dead.

Detective Sergeant Mathew Crisp said there were no injuries to the couple, and no sign of a violent disturbance.

A number of items were seized including a 300ml bottle of liquid morphine, three quarters empty that was prescribed to Mr Laws the previous day.

Also found were used and unused syringes and steroids, blister packs and diazepam.

Concluding, Mr Westerman said: “On the balance of probabilities I am satisfied with the evidence I have that both died from the consumption of a number of drugs, including but not restricted to morphine.”

“I conclude that these were drug related deaths.”

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