Anguish for Barrow family after drug death
Last updated at 16:46, Monday, 10 December 2012
THE family of a man who was found dead in the street believes justice will never be done.
A member of the public alerted police after they saw the body of Mark Salton, 38, in Emlyn Street, Barrow, at around 8am on August 27 last year.
The inquest into his death heard Mr Salton had been drinking in town with friends three days earlier.
He then went to Karl Jason Turner’s Emlyn Street home in the early hours of the morning, drank more alcohol and took the drug fentanyl, which Mr Turner was prescribed.
Mr Turner told the hearing at Barrow Town Hall on Friday that Mr Salton left his home within an hour.
But the report from the pathologist confirmed Mr Salton, of Devon Street, Barrow, had been dead for at least three days when he was found yards from Mr Turner’s house – and marks on his body indicated he had been dragged outside.
Investigating officer, Detective Constable Amy Loebell and south and east Cumbria coroner, Mr Ian Smith, both told the hearing that this raised suspicion and they regretted no criminal charges had followed the death.
Mr Smith recorded a verdict of respiratory depression caused by fentanyl, made worse by alcohol.
He said: “Rules prohibit me from pointing the finger at any individual. But the facts are so blatant that you don’t need me to say it. It’s abundantly clear what happened.”
DC Loebell said she was “devastated” police could not get a criminal conviction.
She said Mr Turner was arrested on suspicion of drug supply and manslaughter but he denied any involvement in supplying the fentanyl and “completely refuted” Mr Salton died in his house.
DC Loebell said: “I absolutely don’t believe that’s the case. We went to the CPS with all the evidence and, unfortunately, there wasn’t enough evidence to support a criminal court proceeding.”
DC Loebell said fentanyl was 100 times stronger than heroin and normally prescribed to cancer patients.
Following the inquest, Mr Salton’s family spoke of their distress at the way he had died, adding they would have liked to have seen someone held responsible for his death.
First published at 11:04, Monday, 10 December 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
Have your say
Disgusting someone knows something Karma will get revenge
Love carolDad and Pauline and Craig it will come to ligh one day and you 3 will be able to move forward
Posted by Carol Dunford on 10 December 2012 at 17:16