Woman's death was a 'cry for help'

By Roddy Ashworth

A YOUNG woman who died after taking an overdose of paracetamol did not intend to kill herself, a coroner ruled yesterday.

Lianne Penny, from Colchester, had a liver transplant after she took the overdose on October 3 last year.

But within weeks of her surgery she died of sepsis.

Ms Penny, 23, had been unhappy with her job and had been taking both anti-depressants and sleeping tablets, an inquest at Colchester Town Hall heard yesterday.

On the day she was taken to hospital following the overdose she had been planning to attend a doctor's appointment because she was unhappy.

After admission to Colchester General Hospital she was transferred to the Royal Free Hospital in London, where her transplant was carried out on October 20.

While in hospital, she told her boyfriend Morgan Smith she had not intended to take her own life, the inquest heard.

Mr Smith told the court he believed the overdose had been a cry for help.

“She had so much to live for,” he said. “I know she didn't mean to do it.”

Mr Smith added that she had said she was unhappy in September and missed her grandmother. She also said she was not sleeping well.

Lianne's father, Grant Penny, told the inquest she had not seemed herself prior to the overdose.

But he added she had never taken an overdose before and she had never said she was considering taking her own life.

After her death, however, it came to light that she had mentioned the possibility to a doctor.

“I believe it was just a cry for help,” Mr Penny said.

Recording her verdict, coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray said: “The first verdict I have to consider is that of suicide.

“For that, I have to be satisfied to a very high standard of proof she intended to take her life.

“I am not so satisfied in the light of evidence I have heard - especially the comment made in hospital that it was a cry for help - so I have decided, on the balance of probability, this was an accident.”