A SALE woman who died suddenly had taken a combination of legal highs and cocaine, an inquest heard.


Recording a conclusion of misadventure at Trafford Magistrates’ Court on November 26, area coroner Joanne Kearsley, confirmed that Jennifer Whiteley had died as a result of fatal drug toxicity.


The court heard that Jennifer, who was 27 and worked as a support worker, had just heard that she had got a new job in the NHS Penine Trust’s early intervention team, and wanted to celebrate with her boyfriend of eight and a half years, Andrew Tunnah.


Giving evidence, Mr Tunnah said he had bought the then legal substances 5APB and 5MAPB in January 2013 and although he had said in his initial police statement that he and Jennifer had taken drugs together ‘hundreds if not thousands of times’, Jennifer actually took drugs ‘very rarely’.


The court heard that on July 19 2013, Jennifer had a ‘free house’ as her parents had gone away, so Mr Tunnah went over to her Dane Road home with some legal highs and cocaine, as had been pre-arranged.


Mr Tunnah said Jennifer had drunk some alcohol, taken a line of cocaine and approximately 25-50 milligrams of 5APB and approximately 25-50 milligrams of 5MAPB.


He said that at around 5.30am Jennifer began sweating profusely, he noticed her face was going red and she was very hot.


Mr Tunnah said Jennifer, who had a masters degree in health psychology, initially did not want him to call an ambulance, but he phoned for one at 5.30am and she was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital.


The court heard that Jennifer had gone into cardiac arrest and remained so for around 70 to 75 minutes, despite continued resuscitation attempts.
She was pronounced dead at 7.05am on July 20.


Toxicologist Julie Evans, who carried out the post mortem examination, said a number of drugs were found in Jennifer’s system, including prescription drugs such as beta blockers, as well as traces of cocaine and alcohol.


However, Ms Evans said the traces of 5APB and 5MAPB found in her system were the ‘most significant’.


Ms Evans said that taking the so-called ‘legal highs’ can cause serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening drug reaction, with symptoms such as cardiac arrhythmia, hypothermia and elevated body temperature.


“We’ve seen concentrations [of legal highs] in fatalities below what we found in Jennifer,” said Ms Evans.


“It’s not like someone taking an overdose of particular drug, it’s the combined effect of these chemical compounds on the body.”


Ms Evans also commented on the purity of drugs and legal highs, stating that cocaine can hugely vary in purity from week and there is simply no way of knowing what is in legal or illegally sold powders.


Recording a verdict of misadventure, Miss Kearsley said: “It was apparent that they were together, they had made the decision to take a number of recreational drugs and what were at the time legal highs.”


A family's tragedy

Speaking during the inquest, Jennifer’s father said: “I’d just like to say I’m quite sure Jennifer would have known the effects of some of the drugs mentioned and it just seems to me ludicrous that she’s take as many drugs as she had done.


“She was very knowledgeable about drugs and I just find it very hard to believe that she would have done that.”

In a statement released by her family shortly after her death, Jennifer’s parents paid tribute to their only daughter.


“After being married for 12 years we were shocked to find out we were expecting a baby.


“From the day Jennifer was born on 26 February 1986 our lives changed completely.


“Our relatives and friends were delighted for us and her maternal grandmother gave up work at Christmas 1986 to care for her on a daily basis so we could continue to work.


“After starting primary school at Holy Family, Sale Moor, Jennifer continued to spend school holidays with her grandparents, entertaining them with her antics and taking her beloved guinea pigs for visits.


“This continued when she went to Loreto Grammar School in Altrincham. She carried on her education there achieving 11 GCSEs, 3A*s, 5As and 3Bs.


“She excelled in her languages getting A*s in Spanish and French and an A in German which she only studied for two years.


“From school Jennifer went to Manchester Metropolitan University where she obtained a 2.2 Bsc honours degree in pyschology.


“She commenced employment with Creative Support in Fallowfield dealing with ladies of various ages with mental health issues.


“While working there she applied to do an Msc in health pschology at Staffordshire University.


“In general a person with a degree of less than a 2.1 cannot study for a masters degree, but Jennifer's tutors at Manchester gave her such good references that they allowed her to study over a two year period, attending one day a week and able to proceed with her second year if she achieved the desired grades in the first year.


“Throughout this period she continued to work for Creative Support part time. She graduated with her Msc and achieved a merit marking.


“Jennifer was passionate about her field of study and wanted to help people wherever she could.


“You could put her with a group of people covering every age, creed and colour and she could engage with all of them.


“The overwhelming response from all the people who knew her, is that this young, caring and beautiful woman was a wonderful person loved by everyone and her loss will affect them all deeply.”