Overdose woman's pain and money problems

Her sister, Margaret Jacob, said Mrs Starkey had suffered from back problems for many years and was in a great deal of pain.

She was also under considerable pressure because of financial problems. Just before her death her benefit had been cut and she had lost her appeal.

And several months before her death in January Mrs Starkey had been the victim of an alleged sexual assault.

In a statement Mrs Starkey's boyfriend, Frank Brown, of Chaucer Grove, Atherton, said that Mrs Starkey drank heavily and used illegal drugs. Mr Brown said she told him that she took the substances because it eased the pain caused by her back.

Mr Brown lived with her at weekends, but returned to his own home during the week.

On the day before she took the overdose, Mrs Starkey rang Mr Brown at his home to say she was having a party.

He arrived at her home and apart from one guest everyone had gone home. He said she was drunk and became abusive, telling him and the guest to leave the house.

At about 9pm he returned to the house and found Mrs Starkey lying in front of the fire. He put her in bed and told Careline what he had done.

Later he received a call from Mrs Starkey apologising for being drunk and asking him to look after her dog. The next morning Mrs Starkey was taken to Bolton Royal Infirmary. She was conscious when paramedics arrived and told them what she had taken, but she did not give a reason for the overdose.

She was conscious when she arrived at hospital, but over the next two days her condition deteriorated and she died.

Coroner Mr Martin Coppel said that, despite Mrs Starkey's history of taking overdoses, he was unable to find any evidence to point out that she knew what she was doing and intended the consequences.

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