Cocaine warning at death inquest

PEOPLE who take even the smallest amounts of cocaine are playing Russian roulette, the Assistant State Pathologist warned yesterday.

Speaking at the inquest into the death of 22-year-old Anthony Alcock, Dr Margaret Bolster said very small levels of cocaine can kill.

“It can be taken on occasions and nothing happen, and on a different occasion it can kill,” Dr Bolster said.

The inquest heard Anthony Alcock, from Bay View Estate, Cobh, Co Cork, was at a party with friends in a flat in the town on April 10, 2005.

Gardaí were alerted to an incident at 7.45am. But, by the time they arrived, the father-of-one was already dead. Garda John Ahern said he found him lying on a couch in a living room.

He was pronounced dead by a GP who had been called after Mr Ahern’s friends became concerned about him after he went into convulsions after taking cocaine.

Speaking after yesterday’s inquest, Mr Alcock’s parents branded dealers who sold their son drugs “scum of the earth” and said they should face longer prison sentences.

Jacqueline and Terence Alcock said dealers should be put up against a wall and shot.

“They should be tarred. They’re destroying people’s lives. Any drug dealer out there should be just put up against a wall and shot because of what they’re doing to people. They have no remorse,” Ms Alcock said.

The couple also asked other parents to be aware of what their children are doing, so as to avoid the heartbreak they have suffered.

The deceased man’s mother, who carries a picture of her son everywhere, said: “He did not deserve to die like this and his two-year-old son does not deserve having to grow up without a dad. It is 12 months since he died and we have not come to terms with his death yet.”

Ms Alcock warned other young people who might be thinking of using drugs to stop and think.

“My son never thought something like this was going to happen to him. He went to a party and he ended up dead.

“I would ask parents to ... watch their children for any symptoms that they might be using drugs.

Anthony’s father, Terence, said their lives and outlook on life has changed.

“We are very insecure now with our kids. I will never forget seeing him lying dead in the hospital. It is just numbing. It is shocking and it does not seem real but, of course, it is. It is like living a bad dream. Drug dealers and pushers are the scum of the earth and all of them should be left to rot in prison,” Mr Alcock said.

The inquest was adjourned after Supt PJ Sheahan told the Coroner Frank O’Connell that the DPP had indicated that individuals should be charged on indictment, over Mr Ahern’s death.

The case was adjourned until October.