Two brothers died of drug overdoses within 13 months of each other, Dublin City Coroner's Court heard yesterday.
The Coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, said the cases gave a graphic illustration of the impact on families of the drugs problem in Dublin.
Mr Philip Cramp (29), a single man who had six children, was found collapsed in a pool of blood in his home at St Michael's Estate, Inchicore, on November 4th last. His partner was on holiday in Britain and he had not been seen by his family since the previous night. His brothers, Darren and Sammy Cramp, told the inquest their brother used cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis but never heroin.
Sgt Joseph Crowe, from Kevin Street Garda station, said a syringe and needle were found near the body but contained no drugs.
Dr Marie Cassidy, deputy State Pathologist, said she found one recent needle mark on Mr Cramp's right arm and three fresh marks on his left arm. A toxicology screen was positive for opiates and benzodiazepine at three times the fatal level from a series of fatal cases.
The post-mortem examination showed Mr Cramp choked on his vomit following a drug overdose and the coroner recorded a verdict of death by misadventure. Dr Cassidy told the family she believed the death might have been due to a once-off experiment with heroin rather than habitual abuse of the drug.
A verdict of death by misadventure also was recorded on Mr Mark Cramp (21), of Turvey Avenue, Emmet Road, Inchicore, who was found in a collapsed state in his bedroom by his sisters on September 15th, 1997.
A number of syringes and needles were found near his body by gardai investigating the case.
A post-mortem examination showed that death was due to brain stem depression caused by a combination overdose of heroin, cocaine and benzodiazepine.