Yorkshire woman offered drugs to man, 24, who died after taking painkiller Fentanyl

A woman has been put behind bars after she offered drugs to a man who died after taking the powerful painkiller Fentanyl.

Sheffield Crown Court heard on January 27 how Jeanette Esberger, 47, of Hartington Drive, near Oldtown, Barnsley, had Facebook messages on her phone consistent with offering to supply drugs to 24-year-old Jaye Milner, who was found dead at his home on Church Street, Royston, in Barnsley, following a suspected overdose.

Judge David Dixon told Esberger: “You, I, everybody in this court room of course, has now heard that on this particular occasion the devastating effects of drug use are obvious.”

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Prosecuting barrister Ben Campbell said Esberger was found by police intoxicated at Mr Milner’s home when he was discovered dead with the powerful, opioid painkiller Fentanyl and other drugs in his system suggesting it was likely he had taken a drugs overdose.

Jeanette Esberger, aged 47, of of Hartington Drive, Barnsley, who has been sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to 36 months of custodyJeanette Esberger, aged 47, of of Hartington Drive, Barnsley, who has been sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to 36 months of custody
Jeanette Esberger, aged 47, of of Hartington Drive, Barnsley, who has been sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to 36 months of custody

Mr Campbell added that police found it hard to get any sense from Esberger and they discovered discarded wraps around the room where Mr Milner was found dead on June 14, 2018.

He said that Esberger’s phone showed two specific Facebook messages consistent with offering to supply drugs to Mr Milner after he had contacted her on June 13, 2018, and he had asked for Fentanyl and they had made arrangements to meet and for him to pay for drugs.

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Mr Campbell said: “The effect upon his parents has been overwhelming. His father tragically, voluntarily took his own life on June 11, last year. So that was shortly before the defendant entered her guilty pleas.”

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He added that the existing mental health problems of the deceased’s mother have been further exacerbated by the tragic circumstances.

Esberger, who has limited and dated previous convictions, pleaded guilty two offences of offering to supply class A drug Fentanyl and cocaine from June, 2018.

Sean Fritchley said Esberger’s involvement with drugs started after she befriended another drug-user and the death of Mr Milner highlights the difficulties with illegal drugs.

Mr Fritchley added that Esberger has been left in great distress and she cannot say why she became involved in this situation.

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He said Esberger was a friend of Mr Milner and she has been left devastated since his death.

Judge David Dixon told Esberger: “Time and time again I see people in the dock for supplying class A drugs and again I see the difficulty is that whatever the supposed positive sides in people’s heads are to using drugs, the real side of taking class A drugs is that people die and that is what we have here.”

He added: "It seems you had your own difficulties at the time relating to drug use and that may have been why you got involved in all of this."

Judge Dixon stressed the offences only involved offering to supply class A drugs and he acknowledged that there have been delays in bringing the case to sentencing.

However, he sentenced Esberger to 36 months of custody and said the offending was far too serious for anything other than immediate imprisonment.