Jade 'poisoned by ecstasy'

Jade's brain swelled and she had a heart attack, the court heard

The pathologist who carried out a post-mortem examination on ecstasy victim Jade Slack has confirmed to a court she was poisoned by the drug.

Dr Brian Rogers told Manchester Crown Court that 10-year-old Jade - thought to be the UK's youngest person to die after taking the drug - swallowed a "very high" quantity of the drug at a house in Lancaster.

On Wednesday Dr Rogers said that after taking several tablets Jade's brain swelled up, she suffered a heart attack, and her body temperature soared.

Rebecca Hodgson and Wayne Wood are accused of Jade's manslaughter in July 2002 after failing to alert emergency services, despite knowing she had taken the drug at Ms Hodgson's house in Galgate.

Dr Rogers said Jade was eventually taken to hospital with a body temperature of 42C. The normal temperature is 37.9C.

He said he could not accurately confirm how many ecstasy tablets she had taken.

Wayne Wood denies manslaughter and child cruelty

"All I can say is, the concentration of ecstasy in her blood stream was very high," he said.

Dr Rogers concluded the cause of Jade's death was ecstasy toxicity.

The jury earlier heard from Jade's 18-year-old sister Zara, who said she spoke to her sister on the phone, after she had taken the ecstasy.

"She said 'I'm scared, I want you with me now'.,"

"She was really croaky and not herself," said Ms Slack.

Jade's great-aunt, June Thomas, was told Jade was "high on ecstasy" and went to help.

Mrs Thomas told the court: "She was just out of it. She was laid there parallel, just rambling."

She said her husband put Jade into the back of their car and took her to Lancaster Royal Infirmary.

Ms Hodgson, now of Jackson Close, Lancaster, and Mr Wood, 22, of Highland Brow, Galgate, were not at the Salford Road house at the time and had gone drinking at a pub in Lancaster, the court has heard.

Ms Hodgson and Mr Wood deny charges of manslaughter and child cruelty. The trial continues.