Bath-death presenter 'took cocaine'

Children's TV presenter Natasha Collins died after taking cocaine and sleeping tablets, an inquest has heard.

Collins, 31, the fiancee of fellow TV presenter Mark Speight, was found with hot water burns covering about 60% of her body in the bath of the flat the couple shared in St John's Wood, north-west London, on January 3.

Westminster Coroner Dr Paul Knapman recorded a verdict of death by misadventure after noting that the presenter had a "very significant" amount of cocaine in her body at the time of death.

A distraught Speight called the emergency services after waking on the afternoon of January 3 to discover his fiancee dead in the bath, wearing a cropped top, Westminster Coroner's Court heard.

He told police the couple had been "partying" at home on their own and had taken cocaine and sleeping pills as well as drinking wine and vodka.

Speight was initially arrested on suspicion of murder and supplying Class A drugs, but last month Scotland Yard said he would not face any charges over the death.

Consultant pathologist Professor Sebastian Lucas told the inquest "high" levels of cocaine well within the range at which the drug can be fatal were found in Collins' blood stream.

Tests discovered 3.42 milligrams of a chemical resulting from the breakdown of cocaine per litre of blood. The coroner noted that deaths had occurred with levels of just 0.7 milligrams.

Alcohol was also found at less than the drink-drive limit, as were sleeping tablets at a "significantly high" level and small amounts of paracetamol.

There were burns over an estimated 60% of the presenter's body and face, including her tongue, which were consistent with being immersed in very hot water. Collins also had a 0.4in (1cm) diameter hole in the septum of her nose - something Prof Lucas said was associated with cocaine use.

Via ukpress