Tragedy as man overdosed on prescription drug offered by Leeds pal
A man was found dead by pal hours after offering him prescription drugs to help him sleep.
Damien O’Reilly told his friend he had pregabalin and amitriptyline - both of which have a sedative effect - to assist him.
Leeds Crown Court heard that the victim was found lifeless the next day and declared deceased after O’Reilly had dialled 999.
O’Reilly, 43, admitted a charge of supplying a Class C drug.
Prosecutor Daisy Wrigley said the man had gone to stay with O’Reilly at his home on Kingsway, Drighlington, on November 9 last year, because of problems at his own home.
He offered him the two drugs that O’Reilly had received legally on prescription.
A post-mortem on the man showed him to have levels of alcohol and cocaine, as well as the two prescription drugs.
The cause of death was determined to be likely due to “mixed-drugs toxicity”.
O’Reilly was arrested but gave a no-comment interview.
The court heard he has 11 previous convictions for 16 offences, and had been jailed for 45 months in 2021 for growing cannabis.
Mitigating, Anthony Sugare reiterated that the drugs were prescribed to O’Reilly and had been taking them “for some time”.
He said: “He thought he was helping his friend by letting him take some of his lawfully-prescribed drugs.
“There’s no evidence he was supplying for any financial benefit.”
The judge, Recorder Simon Kealey KC told O’Reilly: “There’s a world of difference between drugs that are prescribed and those that are illegal.
“In the circumstances of this case, this tragic incident occurred because you provided him with something which might ease his sleeping.”