A SUFFOLK man whose partner died in bed next to him after he supplied her with drugs has been jailed for 30 months.

A SUFFOLK man whose partner died in bed next to him after he supplied her with drugs has been jailed for 30 months.

Eileen Conlon, 35 died after taking a cocktail of drugs including methadone - a heroin substitute - which had been prescribed for her boyfriend Damien Jared, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Robert Sadd, prosecuting, told the court that Miss Conlon, who met Jared while they were both attending a rehabilitation clinic, had voluntarily taken the methadone which had contributed to her death on December 29 at her home in Periman Close, Newmarket.

Jared, 34, of Howard De Walden Way, Newmarket, admitted supplying methadone to Miss Conlon.

Sentencing him, Judge David Goodin said he had no doubt that Jared's contribution to the circumstances of Miss Conlon's death had caused him real pain and anguish.

He accepted that Jared had not intended to harm Miss Conlon by giving her two 5ml doses of his prescribed methadone at her request - but said the defendant had to accept this had contributed to her death.

Judge Goodin said Miss Conlon had a history of alcohol abuse as well as experimentation with a variety of drugs including ecstasy, cannabis and amphetamine.

Neil Macaulay, for Jared, described the case as “tragic and depressing”.

He said Jared had been deeply in love with Miss Conlon and had hoped to marry her.

“He tells me that he saw Miss Conlon as his long term partner. He had found the love of his life and was looking forward to living with her,” said Mr Macaulay.

He said Jared had given Miss Conlon some of his methadone at her request two or three days before she died and on December 29 had found himself in the horrific situation of discovering she had stopped breathing in bed beside him and had tried to give her the kiss of life before calling for an ambulance.