A BASINGSTOKE woman died from drug misuse after taking her friends prescription medication, an inquest heard.

Julia Ann Ballard, 66, died at her friends flat in Milton Close, Oakridge in April last year.

At an inquest into her death today (Tuesday, January 26), Winchester Coroner's Court heard how she died after misusing drugs just months after overcoming her alcohol addiction.

The court heard a statement written by her GP at Crown Heights Medical Centre which detailed that Julia had been battling an alcohol addiction since 2013.

In January 2019 it was recorded that she was consuming around two litres of vodka each week but by December 2019 she made huge progress and had given up drinking for six weeks.

A toxicology report from the post-mortem detected no alcohol, but high levels of Morphine as well as Diazepam and Zopiclone in Julia’s system, all of which are central nervous system depressants.

The drugs were prescribed to her friend, who she was living with at the time, to manage her painful broken leg,  the court was told. 

Recording his verdict coroner Jason Pegg said: “I am going to formally record that Julia Ballard died on the 22nd of April 2020 at 62 Milton Close in Basingstoke, Hampshire.

“Julia Ballard consumed a substantial quantity of Morphine, a drug that was prescribed to another.

Miss Ballard had also consumed a quantity of Diazepam and Zopiclone which contributed to the effect of Morphine in depressing Miss Ballards central nervous system.

He noted that direct cause of death was Morphine toxicity with fatty liver disease also a contributing factor.

Coroner Pegg continued: “The appropriate conclusion it seems to me is misuse of drugs. Had Miss Ballard not consumed drugs prescribed to others then she would not have died on the 22nd of April 2020, as she did so.”

The inquest ended with coroner Pegg offering his sincere condolences to Miss Ballard’s family.