Inquest told Seaham mum died after taking Temazepam and Pregabalin

Yvonne Goggins, 31, from Seaham, was found dead by her partner, John Murphy having spent the previous evening taking drugs together recreationally.

Crook Coroners’ Court heard Mr Murphy and his partner had taken temazepam tablets as they watched television at their home in Everton Drive.

The inquest was told Mr Murphy went downstairs on the morning of April 17 to find Yvonne dead.

In evidence read to the hearing, Detective Sergeant Abby Pattison, who spoke to Mr Murphy, said: “He describes trying to rouse her.

“He immediately called a friend to tell him not to pick him up for work.

“His friend told him to call an ambulance, which he did once the call had finished.”

The ambulance call handler advised Mr Murphy to do CPR until paramedics arrived but Ms Goggins was pronounced dead at the scene.

The ambulance service contacted police who launched an investigation.

DS Pattison said she was told the pair had been taking drugs together while watching television.

DS Pattison said Mr Murphy said neither of the couple had been prescribed the powerful sleeping tablet.

She said: “He said ‘I buy it. It is not like I forced them on her. She wanted them as well.

“He said Yvonne’s normal reaction to temazepam was to be a bit wobbly. That is what it does to you.

“It’s got the street name of ‘wobs’ for a reason.”

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Mr Murphy refused to say where he got the tablets from.

He was arrested on suspicion of supplying class C drugs and the investigation is ongoing. The inquest heard toxicology tests revealed fatal levels of temazepam and pregabalin, a drug used to treat epilepsy and anxiety, in Miss Goggins’ system.

A post-mortem examination at the RVI mortuary in Newcastle by a Home Office pathologist found the cause of her death was ‘complications’ arising from the toxic levels of the drugs. 

Senior Coroner Jeremy Chipperfield concluded Ms Goggins died a drug-related death.

He said: “There is a clear, uncontested evidence how the drugs got there.

“It was a recreational evening. It sometimes is the case that one loses tolerance for these things and it can be dangerous.

“No evidence before suggests it was other than a voluntary and recreational and a terrible, terrible accident.”