Methadone Pair Jailed For Toddler Death

[Raistlin]

A couple that repeatedly gave heroin substitute methadone to a toddler who later died have been jailed for child cruelty.

Holly Agius, aged 14 months, died after being taken to hospital from her home in Broadwell, Gloucestershire.

Bristol Crown Court heard earlier that the pair gave her methadone over a six-month period to try to soothe her.

Her mother Bonny Richards, 28, was jailed for 15 months. Her partner John Davies, 32, was sentenced to 18 months.

Holly died at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital after being admitted on 12 January 2009.

Post-mortem tests revealed that the drug-addicted couple frequently gave the infant the heroin substitute in the six months before she died.

But this was eventually ruled out as a contributory factor in her death, which was found to have been caused by complications arising from a rare and lethal form of chickenpox.

Richards, of Trafalgar Mews, in Broadwell, and Davies, of Albion Court, in Scowles, had each previously admitted three counts of child cruelty towards the little girl.

Prosecutor Richard Smith said Richards and Davies had started a relationship in the summer of 2008 and shortly after started to administer methadone to Holly.

"It was not done with the intention of harming or injuring but rather a dangerously misguided attempt to settle or calm when she was restless, irritable and apparently ill," Mr Smith said.

"By autumn 2008, Holly was teething. Bonny Richards was rubbing methadone into the gums rather than using Bonjela."

Mr Smith said Holly went to stay with her natural father - Jason Agius - on the weekend of Saturday 10 January, where her illness appeared to worsen.

John Davies and Bonny Richards gave the drug to Holly repeatedly Holly returned to Richards and Davies on 11 January, in a "distressed and unsettled" state, Mr Smith said, so Davies injected her with methadone.

The court heard Holly did not wake up the following morning and was not breathing. She was taken to hospital and pronounced dead.

Davies and Richards originally lied throughout police interviews, denying any knowledge of how methadone came to be in Holly's system.

Sentencing the couple, Mr Justice Royce said: "You were both recovering heroin users, you had methadone for that purpose. You should have known of its potential dangers.

"You shut your eyes to the possible dangerous effects of administering methadone. It was reckless to the extreme. It was dangerously misguided."

He added: "This is not a case where it can be shown that the administration of methadone caused the death.

"The principal cause of death was a very rare form of chicken pox that led to bronchial pneumonia."

[Phoenix999]

Some people need to be castrated and steralised.... painfully

Such lowlife people are just not worth the fresh air they breathe

[Raistlin]

We should make them use huge amounts of Methadone all in one go, Just to calm them down...

[Phoenix999]

We should make them use huge amounts of Methadone all in one go, Just to calm them down...

I like the idea .... one good dose is cheaper than many smaller ones

We appear to think along similar lines

[Bizarra]

We should make them use huge amounts of Methadone all in one go, Just to calm them down...

I like the idea .... one good dose is cheaper than many smaller ones

We appear to think along similar lines

of Cocaine ?

[Raistlin]

Do you want a Smack...

[Bizarra]

Do you want a Smack...

Ooooooh ! Yes please But you have to promise to do it properly, & put me across your knee

[Raistlin]

I don't do weight lifting

[Bizarra]

I don't do weight lifting

Aw shucks! :( and there was me, all excira & he chickened out

FYI :bookworm: "Excira is a Dublin colloquialism Remember that little debate, which I think I won?

Example... He tickled me fancy & I was excira & delira

[Raistlin]

I don't banter in foreign

[Bizarra]

I don't banter in foreign

Aha ! I have finally found your Achilles heel There had to be one somewhere

[Raistlin]

It's not that I can't, it's that I won't.

I never sully myself with the lower races....

[Bizarra]

It's not that I can't, it's that I won't.

I never sully myself with the lower races....

Please give a detailed explanation, With Video evidence, of all the visits to Thailand & Nepal, recorded on your Passport <_<

[Raistlin]

Your not worthy enough ....

[Bizarra]

Your not worthy enough ....

Translates as "The Mods would throw wobblers" & Raist out of the Club.

[Raistlin]

But I just paid...

[Bizarra]

But I just paid...

Tough titty Can't believe it Stranger things have happened, but not much or often

[Raistlin]

I warned you about cutting yourself on that tongue of yours..

You can't afford to lose any blood at your age :D

[Bizarra]

I warned you about cutting yourself on that tongue of yours..

You can't afford to lose any blood at your age :D

That is why I wear Garlic about my neck, when you are in the vicinity

[Raistlin]

I'm a mage not a vampyre... Garlic won't work

[Bizarra]

I'm a mage not a vampyre... Garlic won't work

Sorry for the unintended insult, O Mighty one

I thought that I was safe But you need blood for your most dark & powerful Rites

[Raistlin]

Blood from young Asian females...

[Bizarra]

Blood from young Asian females...

I can get. I can get! Japanese is far superior, but much more expensive

But if you want quality, you have to pay

Just to cheer you up. I can send you the source at very reasonable rates PM me :D

[Raistlin]

It must be fresh, warm and full of endorphins

[Bizarra]

It must be fresh, warm and full of endorphins

:ffs: Reread the previous post :censor: I told you I could supply you with the source

Did you notice? Kynan must have installed "Spell check" Spoilsport :(