Former manager dies after secret cocaine binge
A DEVASTATED girlfriend gave a terrifying account of the "horrendous" effects of drugs – after her boyfriend died in front of her after secretly snorting cocaine at her home.
Former high-flying Fletchers Bakeries manager Scott Wallace was killed by an epileptic fit caused by sniffing the Class A drug in the toilet at his girlfriend's house in South Yorkshire.
An inquest heard the former bodybuilder, aged 42, thrashed around for 10 minutes as horrified girlfriend Nadine Beck tried desperately to restrain him before he turned 'purply-blue' and fell unconscious.
After the hearing Ms Beck told The Star: "The fit was absolutely horrendous, they were the worst minutes of my life. He was a big, healthy, strong bloke. It just shows how deadly drugs can be."
Sheffield Coroner's Court heard she gave Mr Wallace the kiss of life until paramedics arrived at her home on Field Drive, Cudworth, Barnsley, but he died an hour later at Barnsley Hospital, on November 29 last year.
The couple had been together for seven months and were planning to take her 12-year-old daughter India to a karate competition the next day.
Ms Beck said she found Mr Wallace – who had just been to the toilet – on his knees in the conservatory.
She said: "He was shaking. I thought he was messing about and told him to stop, but he did it more violently. He fell to the floor and started thrashing about. His legs were flying up in the air and he kicked me off when I tried to sit on them. He turned purply-blue and was gurgling when paramedics arrived. He had said in the past he had done steroids and cocaine, but when he was much younger."
Tests revealed an 'unusually high' level of cocaine in his blood. Consultant biochemist Dr Stephen Morley said he found 2,130mg per litre, whereas snorting two 'lines' would typically produce a quarter of that. Cause of death was an epileptic seizure due to cocaine. Mr Wallace's heart was found to be enlarged, indicating prolonged use, he said.
Det Con Julia Burdis said a cut-down straw and a bag with white powder was found in his pocket and more powder, which was identified as a cocaine, was found at his house in Sandal, Wakefield.
The court heard Mr Wallace had just started a new job after being unemployed for some months. Prior to that he had held high-flying managerial posts at Fletchers in Sheffield, Warburton's bread, and Walker's crisps.
Ms Beck said last September he had been depressed after learning he was infertile, caused by childhood mumps, and suffering a fractured eye socket after a fight with an old friend.
He was due in court to face an assault charge against a former girlfriend.
Assistant coroner Donald Coutts-Wood said: "A very high level of cocaine was found. It is clear he had a problem with it that he was able to keep secret."
He recorded a verdict of misadventure.
After the inquest Ms Beck said they talked about him moving in with her, but said if she had known about his cocaine abuse she would never have let him in the house.
She said: "It's been a terrible shock finding out he was taking cocaine behind my back."
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