A WOMAN who was found dead by her partner in his flat had been battling depression and alcoholism an inquest heard.
Deborah Jayne Bailey, nee Jolley, died at her partner’s home in Fieldway, Blythe Bridge, on June 15 2012.
The 49-year-old hairdresser and market stall holder, of Adamthwaite Drive, Blythe Bridge, met her partner Anthony Boston around 20 years ago, but they only began a relationship seven years before she died.
Mr Boston told the court he was aware Mrs Bailey suffered depression and alcoholism when they met, but the full extent of her problems were not revealed until much later when they started a relationship.
He told the court she was very upset after her divorce and subsequent loss of her home and dogs and not seeing her son Adam regularly.
This was further amplified when she had to leave her new home after a fire in a neighbouring property.
He said that Mrs Bailey mainly drank whiskey and vodka, but he did not realise the full extent of her drinking as she would hide it.
She was also taking medication for high blood pressure and codeine for pain relief after fracturing her arm.
Mr Boston told the court he always told her not to take her medication when she had been drinking.
The court heard that on the night she died, Mr Boston had spoken to Mrs Bailey on the phone to say he would be late back and they would get a takeaway.
Two hours later he returned home to find her body slumped on the sofa surrounded by empty pill packets.
He called 999 and commenced CPR before paramedics arrived at 10.54pm and tried to resuscitate her for more than half an hour.
The police then arrived and took Mr Boston to his parents’ home.
The court heard that Mrs Bailey’s brother had also spoken to her the night she died.
He said that she was concerned about paperwork and unpaid bills and debts and he told her not to worry and he would sort it out the next day.
Deborah’s mum Joan Jolley, told the court she had also spoken to her daughter the day she died and she “seemed fine”.
She said: “She went shopping with her dad the day before and we were laughing and joking.
“She came home regularly and I thought ‘while she’s here she cant drink’. I wouldn’t allow it.
“But then I’d go upstairs and pick her handbag up and I knew by the weight that there was something in it.
“We tried everything we could to stop her, but there was nothing we could do.
“She was the loveliest, most intelligent person, everyone liked her. Anthony was always exceptional with Debbie and looked after her.
“When she was on painkillers I constantly said ‘for goodness sake don’t drink with them’.
“She knew the risks and she said ‘don’t be silly I would never drink with those’, but she did.
“She told me she would never kill herself and would say ‘don’t be silly, I’m not that stupid. I thank God that I never feel suicidal, I wouldn’t do that to you mum, I wouldn’t do that on my family’.
“I honestly don’t think she realised what she was doing.” Mr Boston told the court Deborah had started treatment to battle her depression and alcoholism.
He said: “I think it was an accident.
She would have got better in a lot of ways given time and reduced her drinking. She was young and still had time to do it.” Scenes of crimes officers reported finding Mrs Bailey’s body surrounded by empty packets of her medication and painkillers, a can of lager, receipts for two bottles of brandy, a debt collector’s letter dated May 30 2012 for £1,200, and an x-ray appointment letter dated for June 18 2012.
Cause of death was given as codeine and ethanol toxicity after toxicology results showed high levels of codeine and ethanol in her blood.
Recording an open verdict HM Coroner Ian Smith said: “She would probably have slipped into a sleep, then a coma and then death. It would have been painless and she wouldn’t have known anything about it. She wouldn’t have suffered.”
