A man in his 30s shared drugs with a teenager who later overdosed and died as a consequence, it has been claimed at an inquest.
Dean Fleming (17), Sillogue Avenue, Ballymun, Dublin, died in July last year after consuming a cocktail of drugs including methadone, cocaine, sleeping tablets, opiates and cannabis, Dublin City Coroner's Court heard yesterday.
Coroner Dr Brian Farrell said the opiates derived from heroin, morphine or codeine.
The inquest heard that Mr Fleming went to the home of an older friend in his 30s on the Clonliffe Road, Drumcondra, on the night of June 28th, 2005, with his young friend Dean Fay.
Mr Fay told the inquest that the older man shared his methadone among the three of them and also gave Mr Fleming some sleeping tablets.
When Mr Fay awoke at midday the following day, he tried to wake Mr Fleming but discovered he was unconscious and his lips were blue. Mr Fay said he then left the house but understood that the older man was calling an ambulance. "He said he was going to the hospital when I left," he told the court.
Statements read out in court from two emergency servicemen who arrived at the scene stated that they were contacted at 1.48pm, almost two hours after Mr Fay found his friend unconscious.
Mr Fleming was taken to Dublin's Mater hospital but never regained consciousness and died a few weeks later on July 21st last year. Dr Farrell returned a verdict of death by misadventure.
"There is an issue in relation to the supply of the drugs, but I'm satisfied he did take the drugs himself," he said.
Yvonne Banbury, legal representative for the Fleming family, told the inquest that the man who shared his drugs with the two teenagers was in his 30s.
Garda Paul Franey told the court that this man had left the country before gardaí could interview him in relation to Mr Fleming's death.
Ms Banbury said the Fleming family would like the matter to be investigated further should the man be located.
"The family feel that [ his] administration of drugs to a juvenile should be fully investigated should his presence be located abroad. The family are concerned that the matter be investigated further." She added that the family would now lodge an official complaint to gardaí.
Garda Franey said he believed Mr Fleming was a regular drug user. Mr Fay told the court that his friend had been taking tablets before the older man shared his methadone and sleeping tablets the night before he overdosed.
Fred Fleming told the inquest that the family were unaware that his grandson had taken drugs in the past.