UK: Man ‘killed woman he met on dating website after spiking her vape fluid with powerful painkiller Oxycodone when he took her back to his seaside chalet’
A father-of-four has been accused of killing a woman he met on a dating website after spiking her with a powerful painkiller Sheffield Crown Court has heard.
Christopher Downes, 53, met Kim Harrop, 55, online and is accused of her manslaughter after allegedly putting Oxycodone in her vape fluid.
The court heard that after meeting in person for the first time on April 22, 2018 – a few weeks after their online encounter – Downes took Miss Harrop to his seaside chalet in Anthony’s Bank, Humberston Fitties, Grimsby in Lincolnshire.
The court heard that Downes had delayed calling the emergency services to resuscitate Miss Harrop, who was found dead on the same day in Downes’ bed.
A coroner’s report revealed that there were traces of Oxycodone in her blood.
Police went to Downes’ home on June 14, 2018 and found a bottle of Oxycodone, which is medically used to treat severe pain.
In court, Downes, formerly of Barton upon Humber and South Ferriby, denied spiking any of Miss Harrop’s drink or vape fluid.
He claimed he still had supplies of a pain-relieving drug that was used to help his previous girlfriend, who died of cancer in January 2018, but he denied that he had ‘stockpiled’ it.
Downes, now of St George’s Avenue, Dunsville, Hatfield, near Doncaster, insisted that he had ‘no reason whatsoever’ to spike Miss Harrop’s drinks and denied later being ‘over-keen’ to find out the cause of her death and insisted that he ‘wanted to be cleared of all blame’, a court heard.
When asked by the defence Naeem Mian KC whether he in any way administered or gave Oxycodone to Miss Harrop, Downes replied with: ‘Absolutely not. I had no reason whatsoever to do so.’
He claimed that, if he had wanted to get rid of the drugs at the time, he had ‘the best part of eight weeks’ to do so, saying: ‘I kept absolutely everything in order to assist with that inquest, including the bottle.’
Mr Mian asked: ‘Were you taking Oxycodone yourself?’
Downes said that he suffered from a recurring tooth abscess at the time and ‘on a few occasions’ took Oxycodone ‘two or three times’ to ease the pain.
Downes claimed that the reason that there was a delay in him dialling 999 was because he ‘did not have a working phone’ because the batteries of the two phones that he had were both flat.
Mr Mian said that the prosecution had claimed that Downes had deleted data from his phone during this time but Downes claimed: ‘I have no memory of deleting anything whatsoever from my phone. When the police arrived, I made them fully aware of everything I knew that had happened during that date.’
He told the court: ‘After the ambulance people had tried to save Kim’s life, they called in the police because it was an unexplained death.’
Mr Mian said that the prosecution claimed that Downes had lied about the cause of Miss Harrop’s death, to which Downes replied: ‘I didn’t lie. I was asked for my opinion.’
Mr Mian added that the prosecution claimed that Downes showed ‘over keenness’ to know the cause of Miss Harrop’s death. Downes said: ‘Of course I was keen. This woman passed away under my roof.
‘I was the only other person there. I was very keen to find out why she had died. I was the only other person present. I wanted to be cleared of all blame.’
He agreed with a suggestion from Mr Mian that he sent a message to his brother saying that he ‘hoped to be exonerated’. He also admitted sending a message to his sister saying that he was concerned that he might possibly be arrested.
Downes said: ‘Yes, of course I did. In that situation, anybody in their right mind would be worried about being arrested. I was the only person present.’
He further admitted going into Miss Harrop’s purse and took a picture of her driving licence.
Downes has four daughters, aged between 30 and 11.
The trial continues.
