'Helping' drug addict gave methadone to desperate aunty which led to her death in Wakefield taxi

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A drug addict gave her aunty methadone to “help her out”, but tragically led to her death in a Wakefield taxi.

Jody Senior saved up her own heroin substitute liquid before handing it over to her close relative. But Tammy Burton, a drug addict herself, fatally overdosed on the prescription drug, along with other substances.

Methadone is prescribed to heroin addicts to combat withdrawal of heroin.

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A tearful Senior was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week after admitting being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug. A second defendant, Carl Rutter, was also jailed after he admitted three counts of being concerned in the supply of Class C drugs to the deceased woman.

Senior (pictured) thought she was helping out her aunty by saving up her heroin substitute, methadone, to give to her, but it contributed to her death. (pics by WYP / SWNS)Senior (pictured) thought she was helping out her aunty by saving up her heroin substitute, methadone, to give to her, but it contributed to her death. (pics by WYP / SWNS)
Senior (pictured) thought she was helping out her aunty by saving up her heroin substitute, methadone, to give to her, but it contributed to her death. (pics by WYP / SWNS) | WYP / SWNS

Miss Burton had been in a taxi in the Wakefield area at around 5am on December 10, 2021, prosecutor Victoria Barker told the court.

She had wanted to be taken to an all-night garage and had complained to the driver about feeling unwell, that her legs were hurting and she had difficulty breathing.

But by the time they arrived back, she had become “unresponsive”. The emergency services were called and CPR was unsuccessfully performed. She was pronounced dead at 6.21am.

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A post-mortem found she had a cocktail of drugs in her system that had caused her death, including methadone, diazepam, pregabalin and zopiclone.

An investigation unearthed phone messages from 42-year-old Senior, offering to give her some of her own methadone after Miss Burton said her own prescription had been cancelled. There were also messages from Rutter who sold her the remaining drugs.

They also found empty bottles of methadone at Miss Burton’s home bearing Senior’s name. Having been arrested, Senior confessed to police that she had saved up her own methadone to give to her aunty, but did not receive payment.

Rutter, 58, was also arrested but denied any involvement.

Senior, of Coniston Place, Knottingley, has 49 previous convictions for 75 offences, including being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs from 2007. She appeared in court via video link from HMP New Hall where she was being held on remand, after she failed to answer to bail.

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Rutter, of Anderson Street, Wakefield, has 17 previous convictions for 37 offences, but none for drugs.

Mitigating for Senior, Christopher Morton said her best point was her frankness with police. She said Miss Burton was her aunty, but they were so similar in age they were often referred to as sisters.

He said: “They were very close and brought up in the same family. They were both, at a very early age, addicted to drugs.

“She intended to do no more than help her aunty. She reduced her own intake and saved it. Over a period of about eight weeks she gave her the methadone she had been able to save. She is devastated.”

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For Rutter, Timothy Jacobs said he had sold Class C drugs to raise money for his own crack cocaine habit, which he “regrets” and is “full of remorse” over the death of Miss Burton.

He said that Rutter had a range of health issues, including complex diabetes, anxiety, depression, pancreatitis and a delusional disorder for which he takes medication.

The judge, Recorder Aisha Wadoodi told Senior and Rutter: “This case lays out starkly what happens because of drugs and the tragic consequences that can follow.

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“Both of you had supplied her with drugs. You will know from your own experiences and the experience of being exposed to drugs, that type of tragic consequence can happen all too frequently.”

Senior was jailed for 28 months. Rutter was handed a 12-month jail sentence.

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