A POPULAR Worcester teenager "suffered tragic consequences" after accidentally taking a fatal dose of heroin substitute, an inquest has heard.

Matthew Grundy, a 16-year-old from Durham Road, Ronkswood, died after taking methadone at some point during or after a night out with friends.

He was heard returning to his house in the early hours of Thursday, February 5. His mother Jane noticed he had been sick out of his bedroom window as she went to work later that morning.

Mrs Grundy tried unsuccessfully to contact him at Nunnery Wood High School, were he was a student, and later returned home to find him slumped in bed.

Matthew's brother, Tom, had even been into his bedroom during the day to turn off an alarm clock but had seen "nothing out of the ordinary".

Pathologist Dr Terry Jones confirmed the level of methadone was consistent with an overdose but the coroner said there was no evidence he intended to take his life.

"It was known that Matthew had used cannabis in the past but there was no evidence he had ever taken methadone before," said Worcestershire County Coroner Victor Round.

"I'm satisfied from the reports and the details given by the family that Matthew was not used to taking methadone.

"He was found looking quite peaceful and there were no suspicious circumstances about Matthew's death.

"He was not an addict but almost certainly took more than he was used to and suffered tragic consequences."

Drinking

Matthew, who suffered from asthma and used an inhaler, was taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital and pronounced dead at around 4pm on February 5.

He was thought to have been drinking the night before he died. However, tests later revealed his blood-alcohol level was zero.

At Worcestershire Coroners Court yesterday, Mr Round recorded a verdict of non-dependent abuse of drugs - adding that others might have called it accidental death but he felt the drug involvement needed to be highlighted.

A candlelit vigil, football match and sleep-overs were held by friends and family in Ronkswood on Sunday, February 15, to raise money for his memorial fund.

Andrew Crowe, aged 29, was last month sentenced to five years in prison for indirectly supplying the methadone which killed Matthew.

Two teenagers have also been charged with supplying the drug, and are due to appear in Worcester Crown Court.