Networked Knowledge - Media Report

[This edited version of the report has been prepared by Dr Robert N Moles]

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On 2 April 2008 David Sanderson of The Times reported “Children's TV presenter Natasha Collins died in bath after cocaine binge”.

A children’s television presenter died while taking a bath after a cocaine-fuelled party with her fiance, an inquest heard today. Natasha Collins had hot water burns covering 60 per cent of her body when her partner, fellow television presenter Mark Speight discovered her in their bath with the hot water taps running. The couple had earlier been “partying” at their home and taken a cocktail of cocaine, sleeping pills and vodka. Dr Paul Knapman today recorded a verdict of death by misadventure and said that although Ms Collins, 31, had taken enough cocaine to kill her, it was likely that a heart problem had caused her to lose consciousness in the bath.

Mr Speight, 42 , was initially arrested on suspicion of murder and supplying Class A drugs but last month Scotland Yard said he would not face any charges over Ms Collins's death at the couple’s flat in north-west London on January 3. Mr Speight and Ms Collins appeared together on BBC children’s show See It Saw It. He shot to fame as the rubber-faced presenter of the ITV Saturday morning show Scratchy & Co but is best known for the BBC children’s art show SMart, which has run for more than 10 years. After working with Mr Speight on the 1999 CBBC programme, where she played the jovial court jester to Mr Speight’s King, regular TV roles dried up for Ms Collins. Her acting career had been restricted after being knocked down by a car and seriously injured seven years ago and she had been working as a model and presenting corporate videos. After her death in January colleagues praised her "professionalism, bubbly personality and beautiful looks". Some noted however that in recent months she had looked "painfully thin".

In February Mr Speight said he was quitting the SMart after the “tragic loss” of Ms Collins, with whom he had been engaged for three years, left him unable to continue. After the inquest verdict today at Westminster Coroners’ Court he issued a joint statement with Ms Collins’ mother Carmen. It read: “Natasha was a loving daughter, fiancee, sister and friend, with a very positive attitude towards life. “She was always thinking of others. We are devastated that her life was cut short and we miss her deeply. She will always remain in our hearts.”

Professor Sebastian Lucas, a consultant pathologist, told the inquest that “high” levels of cocaine well within the range at which the drug can be fatal were found in Collins’ blood stream. Tests discovered 3.42 milligrams of a chemical resulting from the breakdown of cocaine per litre of blood. The coroner noted that deaths had occurred with levels of just 0.7 milligrams. Alcohol was also found at less than the drink-drive limit, as were sleeping tablets at a “significantly high” level and small amounts of paracetamol.

There were burns over an estimated 60 per cent of the presenter’s body and face, including her tongue, which were consistent with being immersed in very hot water, he said. Collins also had a 0.4in (1cm) diameter hole in the septum of her nose which could have been caused by cocaine use. There were no bruises, fractures or other signs suggesting suspicious circumstances.

The pathologist gave the cause of death as cocaine toxicity and immersion in hot water. Police had the flat’s boiler tested, but no defects were found.

Dr Knapman said the evidence pointed to the presenter collapsing in the bath. He said: “It does seem from this that, whilst Mr Speight was asleep, at some stage she got up. “She went into the bathroom. She had a bath. “It is more likely than not that she had some heart problem when in the bath that caused her to lose consciousness and unfortunately she had the hot tap on.” The coroner noted that there would have been “sufficient” cocaine in the presenter’s blood to kill her anyway. He concluded: “We have heard that, within the privacy of their flat, they had embarked on adventurous behaviour, ignoring the risks. “She has suffered the consequences by the ending of her life. It is a tragedy, of course, for all concerned.”

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