Force assessed over Whitear death

Rachel Whitear died of a drugs overdose, an inquest concluded

A police complaints body is looking at a report into the way the death of a Herefordshire student was investigated by Devon and Cornwall police.

A second inquest concluded Rachel Whitear, 21, died of a heroin overdose in Exmouth, Devon, in 2000.

An investigation by Wiltshire Police into Devon and Cornwall's actions has been given to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Miss Whitear, from Ledbury, was found dead with a capped syringe in her hand.

She was discovered on the floor of her flat in May 2000 and photographs of her body were used as part of an anti-drugs campaign.

The second inquest, in September 2007, could not give a ruling on whether she gave herself the injection.

An inquest in December 2000 recorded an open verdict after being told tests showed she did not have enough heroin in her blood to kill her.

But her family continued to ask questions, resulting in the second inquest.