Teresa Lonergan

_ (1) At the scene the following bottles of morphine were found: 100 ml bottle 1Omg/Smls 10% remaining; dated 21/02/12 100 ml bottle 1Omg/5ml 30% remaining, dated 09/03/12 1 100 ml bottle 1Omg/ml 33% remaining, dated 08//05/12 100 ml bottle 1Omg/smls 75% remaining ? date 100 ml bottle 1Omg/Sml; full, dated 13/07/12 and 3 loose strips of 1Omg Zomorph with 23 of 28 remaining It was calculated that pf the liquid morphine alone was considered there was 340mg available_ The pathologist advised that 100 to 200mg probably be sufficient to cause a fatality_ would

(2) She was a retired matron: She was visited twice daily by her care worker, who opened her bottles for her as she was not able to do so herself. She did not report medical instructions from doctors about administration or monitoring_ Her GP issued repeat prescriptions of: 1Omg Zomorph MR3 capsules bd (issue up to 120), last issued 03/05/12 Morphine sulphate 1Omg/sml qds prn (issue up to 20Omls)last issued 11/07/12. This was in addition to regular benzodiazepines and other non controlled analgesia_ It was reported that she was visited several times a year by the surgery kept in contact on the phone_ There was no report of any monitoring of her consumption of controlled drugs, but the evidence from the general practice was read. She appeared to continue to draw prescriptions but not consume them as prescribed, thus building up a hoard, and providing the means for a deliberate overdose to be taken.