Former friends admit supplying drug that killed

Jessica Hooks, 21, and Kirstie McInnes, 22, admitted perverting the course of justice after telling investigating officers Aimee Costello had supplied the drug.

Miss Costello’s parents last night urged other young people to heed the warnings about M-Cat and expressed relief that their daughter had been vindicated.

Jonathan Sharp, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court that Hooks’ family had been away, and in the days before Ms Costello’s death in April last year, Hooks had received a quantity of M-Cat at her home because she knew the dealer. It was these drugs that Miss Costello, who lived with her parents in Leeds, and her friends took.

The court heard that after Miss Costello collapsed and an ambulance was called, McInnes travelled to the hospital with her. However, later, the court heard, she sent a text message to Hooks telling her to get rid of the drugs in the house.

Mr Sharp told how Hooks’s reply was not known, but in response McInnes replied again: “No, she’s dead.”

Hooks began to clear the house of evidence, ringing the dealer to come and collect the rest of his supply, which he did – but her “unsophisticated” efforts did not stop police from finding the drugs bag and “glossy catalogues” which had been used to snort the drugs.

Hooks also sent a text to another friend who had been at the party, asking them to “get Aimee’s phone”, but the police had already arrived and seized it along with other evidence.

The lying did not end there, as they gave statements to the police claiming the drugs had arrived with Miss Costello.

Hooks yesterday pleaded guilty to perverting the course of 
justice and supplying the class B drug.

Her barrister, Richard Reed, said: “These were all young girls who until that day had viewed M-Cat as a party drug and nothing can clearly be further from the truth.

“It’s a hard lesson that has been learnt that will blight her to the end of her days.”

Graham Parkin, for McInnes, who admitted perverting the course of justice and being concerned in the supply of a Class B drug, said she had been Miss Costello’s best friend.

He said: “She has been taught the dangers and the evils of drugs in the most horrific way.”

A statement released by Miss Costello’s parents Phillip and Heather after the case said: “We have recently had the first anniversary of our beautiful youngest daughter Aimee and we are still in shock and disbelief that she is gone.

“To say we are devastated is an understatement and the thought that we will never see her again has left us broken.

“The loss of our bright, bubbly and loving girl has ripped our family apart and we, her sisters, and wider family, will never recover from it. She is our first thought on waking and our last thought before sleep.

“She was a beautiful, fun-loving and caring girl who we miss very much.

“We hope that Aimee’s death will serve as a warning against so-called party drugs as they can kill just as easily as drugs that are traditionally regarded as dangerous.

“While it gives us no satisfaction to see two of Aimee’s former friends in court today we are pleased the record will be set straight that Aimee played no part in supplying the drugs that tragically led to her very untimely death.”

Chief Inspector Melanie Jones, of West Yorkshire Police, said: “The trauma the Costello family have been through since Aimee’s untimely death is every parent’s worst nightmare.

“West Yorkshire Police, alongside Safer Leeds, are working hard to educate young people and parents of the very real dangers posed by what have become known as party drugs.”

Inquest blamed death on M-Cat

The sentencing of Ms Costello’s former friends came the day after West Yorkshire assistant deputy coroner Kevin McLoughlin ruled she had died as a result of non-dependent abuse of drugs.

The inquest heard she stayed up through the night and with friends, periodically sniffing M-Cat before losing consciousness shortly before 7pm when she began convulsing.

An ambulance was called and paramedics and hospital staff attempted to resuscitate her but she was pronounced dead at St James’s University Hospital, in Leeds, at 8.40pm.

Mr McLoughlin said the case highlighted the dangers of the drug which is also known as Meow Meow and was banned in 2010.