A GRIEVING family have spoken of their anguish after a woman suffered a lonely death in a Basingstoke house that an inquest heard was frequented by drug users.

The inquest at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court was told that Sally Ann Wheeler was probably dead for around three hours after taking a fatal overdose of cocaine, heroin and alcohol, before she was discovered by another tenant at the house in Vyne Road on February 9.

The inquest heard evidence from one witness, who tried to revive Miss Wheeler, that drug users were going in and out of the property.

Following the hearing, Miss Wheeler’s sister Gemma Bradley and mother Janet Harmsworth have questioned why the police have not taken action over this.

Miss Bradley, a mother-of-two, from Chineham, told The Gazette: “The police know that the house has been used by people taking drugs.”

She added: “No one realised Sally Ann was doing the drugs she was doing. She was always dressed nicely, and to look at her, you wouldn’t have thought she was taking drugs. She didn’t look like a typical person who takes drugs.”

Grandmother-of-13 Mrs Harms-worth added: “I was gobsmacked. I didn’t know she was struggling.”

The 59-year-old told the inquest she was shocked to discover her daughter’s drug problem, saying: “She kept it well hidden from us.”

The inquest heard from landlord Michael McGinty, who said he had owned the property in Vyne Road since 1970.

Witness James Botting told the inquest that Mr McGinty had arranged for him to stay in one of the rooms in February. Mr Botting said there were drug users going in and out of the property.

He added: “I had the opportunity to stay there other nights, but because of the things done, the way it was, I would rather have slept rough than be around people who I didn’t know, hectic people. But it got so cold that night so I stayed.”

Recalling how he found Miss Wheeler’s body, Mr Botting said he returned on February 9 to light a fire, adding: “There was someone on the settee and I said ‘sorry for waking you up’.

“I didn’t switch the light on because I could just about see with the hall light on.

“I didn’t get a response after about five minutes of chatting, and I couldn’t light the fire, so I got up and switched the light on and that’s when I noticed that the girl had a sort of grey/white-looking complexion and purple lips.”

Mr Botting called an ambulance, before giving CPR. He shouted for help, but said: “No one was doing anything.”

When paramedics arrived, they pronounced Miss Wheeler dead. It is believed she had died several hours earlier, at around 3pm.

Mr Botting told Miss Wheeler’s family, who thanked him for his efforts: “I wish I had been there a few hours earlier.”

Detective Sergeant Lee Macarthur told the inquest that Miss Wheeler had a history of substance misuse, and had binged on drugs. She had told her on-off partner Douglas Greenhalf on February 6 that she was going on one of those binges.

Records from her phone show that she made calls to various drug networks in Basingstoke on the day she died.

Sergeant Ian Goudie was called to the Vyne Road house following Miss Wheeler’s death. He told the inquest it was in a “poor state of cleanliness” adding: “It seems people are free to come and go as they please. The front door doesn’t seem to be locked.”

He told how Miss Wheeler had been in contact with mental health services, and had last been in touch with them a week before her death.

He also said she had been arrested for criminal damage in the past, and had self-harmed.

Toxicology tests showed alcohol, morphine and codeine were all present in Miss Wheeler’s blood.

North East Hampshire Coroner Andrew Bradley said: “Sally Ann needed to use drugs and alcohol.”

Recording a verdict of death by misadventure, he added: “She goes to Vyne Road, lies on the settee and very quietly dies.”

Mr Bradley noted that there was no evidence that Miss Wheeler had taken drugs inside the house, adding: “There was no drugs paraphernalia.”

The Gazette attempted to speak to landlord Mr McGinty outside the Vyne Road property, but when we approached him, another man who was with him threatened our reporter and photographer.

A BASINGSTOKE police inspector has admitted that the house in Vyne Road where Sally Ann Wheeler died is of concern to them. 

But Inspector Paul Maginnis said that people in the local community need to report any incidents to the police in order for them to take action. 

He said: “It’s an address we are aware of. We have got ongoing actions at that address.”

Insp Maginnis said the police had looked at what powers they have to shut it down in the past, but added: “Because it’s multi-occupation, it’s difficult. 

“The local beat officer canvassed properties, and we don’t get complaints. 

“We can’t act in isolation so we can’t close it down because there is drug dealing. It has to be in conjunction with anti-social behaviour, and despite canvassing in the community, we aren’t getting these complaints.”

He said the police are aware that the house has been used by drug users, and added: “We can, and do, act on the drug use.”

Insp Maginnis said the police have tried to work with the landlord of the property, and are at the house regularly. 

He appealed to the community to report any incidents at the house, and reassured locals that this can be done anonymously. 

He added: “If we have informa-tion that there are drugs there, we will act upon it.”

Anyone with information should contact police on 101. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.