Sponsored by
Inquest told of tragic drug-death husband
SOUL singer Corinne Bailey Rae lost her "first and only true love" with the death of her husband from an accidental drugs overdose, an inquest heard yesterday.
The award-winning star, who did not attend the hearing in Leeds, said in a statement that musician Jason Rae was "utterly irreplaceable".
The body of her husband, a world-class saxophonist, was found by police at a flat close to the couple's old home in Hyde Park, Leeds, on March 22.
A post-mortem examination revealed that the 31-year-old, who was found next to empty bottles of methadone and wine, had died from alcohol and methadone poisoning.
It is believed the Scottish-born musician, whose band Haggis Horns provided backing for leading artists Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson, drank methadone which his drinking partner had left out before falling into a deep sleep. He never woke up.
In her emotional statement, the singer said her husband was a charismatic high achiever with an "unquestionable and innate talent" and a "loyal and devoted friend".
But she also revealed that he had a long-standing drink and drugs problem.
She said: "He is a faithful son and loving brother. He is very open and honest to a fault.
"He is not a hedonist. He is a deep thinker. My husband is my first and only true love. He is the most beautiful and complex person I have ever known. He is utterly irreplaceable."
The 29-year-old, who is staunchly anti-drugs herself, described how her husband, who she met in 1998 and married in 2001, had struggled against giving in to the use of recreational drugs like cocaine and ecstasy when he had been drinking.
He had not drunk for two months prior to March but had started drinking again in the belief he could control it. They had spent the day before his death doing housework and cuddling up on the sofa before he went out to a pub in the Hyde Park area with his friend James Sheasby.
She did not believe he had tried methadone before.
"Knowing Jason, I know he had gone into the pub for a few drinks thinking it was harmless, that he could be in control," she said. "He has never used or tried out drugs sober, it was only when he was drunk that it seemed like a good idea. He has not, to my knowledge, ever tried methadone."
The inquest heard the two men left the pub and bought a couple of bottles of wine before returning to Mr Sheasby's flat where they continued drinking.
Mr Sheasby, who was taking methadone to wean him off heroin, left his friend asleep on the sofa to buy pizza and when he returned he was still asleep. He went to bed but the following day was unable to wake him.
He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
Police found three empty bottles of methadone on the sofa as well as more of the drug in a fridge in the flat.
Det Supt Stephen Payne, of West Yorkshire Police, said Mr Sheasby alerted police and had co-operated fully. He was satisfied he had not given Mr Rae the methadone and no action was being taken against him.
Pathologist Professor Peter Vanezis told the court that Mr Rae was just over twice the legal drink drive limit and also had methadone in his blood. The musician, who had old scars from self-harm injuries, had traces of other drugs in his blood, but they would not have contributed to his death.
He said that as a "naive user" of methadone, his body would be more severely affected.
Recording a verdict of misadventure, Coroner David Hinchliff said: "Methadone is a dangerous substance in its own right. It is what's called a central nervous system depressive, which, if taken in quantity, can affect the part of the brain that controls breathing. This, coupled with the alcohol, can be devastating.
"He would have gone into a deep sleep. It would have been like falling asleep but over time his breathing would have become more shallow and ultimately he died."
Email to a friend
Print this page- Leeds lose Ward to Palace: Is there anyone they can afford now?
- Sheffield Wednesday leaving it late to hijack Leeds United over Ward
- As Snodgrass dithers over Leeds, Warnock throws a lifeline
- Ball is in Leeds United’s court over contract - Snodgrass
- Police turning blind eye to Asian voter fraud, says MP
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
