Girl died after 'exciting' drug trip

A court has heard a 13-year-old's bid for excitement led to her death after she took a massive overdose of prescribed medication.

Preston Crown Court was told Melissa Strickson swallowed nearly 100 Co-proxamol tablets the day before she died because she wanted to experience a "trip".

Melissa and a friend found the drugs last October in the kitchen cupboard of a flat in Sudell Road, near Blackburn that was lived in by alcoholic Sally Corkhill, 41, and Lee Harrison, 31.

Ms Corkhill denies charges of manslaughter and two counts of supplying valium, a controlled class C drug, to a 14-year-old girl and two girls aged 11 between 8 and 11 October 2001.

The atmosphere of fun was further enhanced by allowing the girls to dress up and talk about witches and witchcraft

Paul Reid QC

Mr Harrison has admitted abducting Melissa and three other girls, and will face sentence on the abduction charges following the conclusion of Ms Corkhill's trial.

The court heard Ms Corkhill and Mr Harrison were known to all four of the girls in question and that their ground floor flat became a "haven" for them.

Prosecuting, Paul Reid QC said the girls were allowed to drink small amounts of alcohol and smoke cigarettes at the flat.

"The atmosphere of fun was further enhanced by allowing the girls to dress up and talk about witches and witchcraft," he told the jury.

The court heard Ms Corkhill told the girls she used to be a "white witch".

'Impressionable environment'

In October last year, all four girls were staying at the flat after they decided to run away from home.

The prosecution alleged that on one occasion, Ms Corkhill told the girls not to touch her medication but then placed a bag full of tablets in a cupboard in full view of some of them.

Mr Reid said: "The prosecution submit that she knew or ought to have known that these 11 to 14-year-olds were likely to be impressionable in the environment which she created for them."

The court heard that days later, Melissa asked her 14-year-old friend if she wanted a "trip" and they both retrieved the medication from Ms Corkhill's cupboard.

Dead on arrival

The 14-year-old later told police they had swallowed the tablets over a period of two hours.

Both girls were found in the bathroom the next day. Melissa was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Her friend, who had taken less than 50 Co-proxamol tablets, remained in intensive care but later recovered.

Ms Corkhill, who entered the dock on crutches, wept as Mr Reid described the events leading to Melissa's death.

The trial continues.