Rachel 'injected by former lover'

The image of Rachel Whitear's body horrified the country

A witness has told a coroner investigating the death of Rachel Whitear that she was injected with heroin by her former boyfriend.

Miss Whitear, 21, of Herefordshire, was found dead with a capped syringe in her hand at an Exmouth bedsit in May 2000.

The witness, known only as "J", said Luke Fitzgerald had panicked and had asked his brother to help cover up what had happened.

Luke and Simon Fitzgerald both deny any involvement in Miss Whitear's death.

Heroin "hit"

Witness "J" and the former girlfriend of Mr Fitzgerald's brother, Simon, told the jury that in 2002 Simon Fitzgerald had received a telephone call from Luke, saying Miss Whitear was dead.

The witness said the couple had been arguing and had been trying to "have a hit" of heroin when Luke Fitzgerald had given Miss Whitear an injection.

She was told Luke Fitzgerald "stormed out" and later returned to find Miss Whitear on the floor.

The jury then heard how Simon Fitzgerald drove to meet his brother at the flat and found Miss Whitear on her side.

The witness said she was told how Simon Fitzgerald pulled Miss Whitear up on to her knees, put a different syringe in her hand from the one on the floor and wiped all the surfaces to hide any evidence of drug paraphenalia.

Medical note

Earlier, the coroner said Simon Fitzgerald had been summoned to attend the inquest, but had not done so and sent a medical note.

The coroner read a statement from Simon Fitzgerald which said: "I did not attend the scene of Rachel Whitear's death. I did not go to Devon in April 2000."

Devon and Cornwall Police scenes of crime officer Kevin Morgan, who attended the scene of Miss Whitear's death, was asked by the coroner whether, in other drug-related deaths, he had found people holding syringes with caps on them.

"I cannot recall any other circumstances when that has happened," he said.

The hearing is the second inquest into Miss Whitear's death - the first held in December 2000 recorded an open verdict.

The inquest is expected to finish by Friday.