Drugs led to tragedy at 32

A coroner heard how four people became unconscious after drinking and taking a mystery substance with cocaine, resulting in the death of a 32-year-old man.

Teams of paramedics and police raced to the home of Nicholas Kenneth Lee at Tindall Street, Scarborough, and found he was one of “multiple casualties”.

Vanessa Thomas, a paramedic told Assistant North Yorkshire Coroner, Richard Watson, at the hearing at Scarborough Town Hall, that Mr Lee was found lying on a sofa and three others nearby had suffered respiratory arrests.

He had gone into a cardiac arrest and despite being given life support treatment for more than half an hour, he failed to respond.

The other three at the house were taken to hospital for treatment. The coroner heard that all four had fallen into unconsciousness after taking what was described as “white rock” which appeared to be crack cocaine. Det Con James Temple, of North Yorkshire serious crime squad, described the incident as “most unusual”.

Recording a verdict that Mr Lee’s death was drug-related, Mr Watson said: “We have a situation where no-one knows precisely where the drugs came from. It is a sad case of a young man and others who went drinking and then used a mixture of drugs.”