Drugs error killed ex-Lord Mayor

Ramnik Kavia died following a heart operation

A former Lord Mayor of Leicester died in hospital because a drugs dose was wrongly administered, an inquest heard.

Ramnik Kavia was Lord Mayor from 2003 to 2004 and died following triple heart by-pass surgery in the city's Glenfield Hospital, soon after leaving office.

A drug which should have been taken orally was wrongly injected into his bloodstream, causing a heart attack.

The coroner recorded a narrative verdict, which describes the circumstances surrounding the death.

No criminal charges

Mr Kavia died in November, 2004, aged 53.

The hospital immediately admitted the mistake to the family and assured them that changes would be made to make sure it could not happen again, the inquest at Leicester Town Hall on Tuesday heard.

The coroner, Martin Symington, was also told the matter was investigated by the police but no criminal charges were brought.

After the inquest, members of Mr Kavia's family spoke to the nurse responsible for administering the drug, David Hames, and told him they bore no hard feelings for the mistake.