A heroin addict collapsed and died from a drugs overdose after her boyfriend allegedly injected her because she was moody, a Court was told.
Jason Caswell is said to have given the fatal heroin dose to his girlfriend Tracey Bradley less than 24 hours after one of their drug-user friends died.
Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday how Miss Bradley blamed herself for the death of Christopher Wilson, who died in the early hours as a result of a combination of alcohol and heroin.
Prosecutor John Topham told a jury the couple had visited a drugs-counselling unit that afternoon and she had been upset about Mr Wilson's death. "She was saying it was her who had injected this man Wilson with heroin the night before and she felt responsible for his death,'' said Mr Topham.
By about 5pm Caswell and Miss Bradley had returned to their flat in Wensleydale House, Keighley. But after Caswell injected himself with heroin at a neighbour's home, the couple could be heard arguing with each other.
"The Crown say that it was some stage around this time - at about 7 o'clock in the evening - either during this argument or shortly afterwards that Mr Caswell injected Tracey Bradley with heroin,'' said Mr Topham.
Caswell, of Hainworth Wood Road, Wood-house, Keighley, has pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter and administering a noxious substance so as to endanger life.
Mr Topham said the case was essentially based on an alleged admission by Caswell to a staff nurse at Airedale General Hospital that he had in fact injected his girlfriend with heroin.
Caswell, 29, is said to have told the nurse that Miss Bradley had taken some heroin that morning, but was attempting to get off the drug to try to win custody of her young son.
"He said Tracey had been moody and she had refused to take her methadone that day because she wanted to cut back on it,'' said Mr Topham. "He said he couldn't put up with her moodiness and so he went out and got some heroin. He said he injected himself first and then he injected her to calm her down.''
Told by an amulance paramedic that Tracey's heart had stopped beating, Caswell allegedly replied: "What have I done? Oh no."
The trial continues.
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