Girl of 15 died after she was given ecstasy pill by binman
A BINMAN admitted yesterday selling ecstasy to a 15year-old girl hours before she fell into a coma and died.
Jacob Khanlarian, 20, had been selling class a and B drugs to teenagers since the age of 15, a court heard.
on July 14, he gave leah Kerry and two of her friends a batch of ecstasy pills – a drug linked to hundreds of deaths.
at 4.50am the next day, leah fell unconscious in a park in newton abbot, devon, during a party to celebrate the end of the school term. She was taken to torbay district Hospital but could not be saved.
Her two friends, believed to have taken the same substance, were taken to hospital as a precaution but later released.
leah’s parents, from Salisbury, Wiltshire, said she thought she was ‘invincible’ and recklessly ‘rolled the dice’ with her life.
Yesterday Khanlarian pleaded guilty to five counts of supplying cannabis and ecstasy during a hearing at exeter Crown Court. the case was adjourned and experts will now examine toxicology reports to work out the extent to which Khanlarian’s drugs contributed to leah’s death. He was remanded in custody. He had walked into a police station and confessed to supplying the girls with drugs after learning of the tragedy.
Miss Kerry’s family said it was ‘shocking’ a 15-year- old could have easy access to such a dangerous substance.
in a statement following her death, they said: ‘leah was well aware of the nature of illicit substances and the risks attached.
‘Sadly, despite being aware of the risks, she thought she was invincible and she rolled the dice and has paid the ultimate price.
‘if there are any young people who have known leah, or who have heard about her story, i would urge them on leah’s behalf to not make the same mistake. if even one young person decides to reduce their risktaking behaviour, then leah’s death has not been in vain.’
Britain’s youngsters are thought to be europe’s biggest users of ecstasy and deaths related to the drug have soared in recent years. the drug has been linked to more than 200 deaths since 1996.