Amy Winehouse Inquest: Star Five Times Over Legal Drink-Drive Limit, Court Hears

Winehouse Five Times Over Legal Limit, Court Hears

Amy Winehouse was five times over the legal drink-drive limit for alcohol when she died, an inquest into her death has heard.

The Back To Black singer had ignored doctor's warnings about her drinking and had 416mg of alcohol per decilitre of blood in her system at the time of her death. The driving limit is 80mg.

Although a toxicology report showed "no illegal substances" were in her body at the time of her death, St Pancras Coroner's Court heard today that three empty vodka bottles, two large and one small, were found at her flat.

Coroner Suzanne Greenway recorded a verdict of misadventure, meaning the death was accidental and not due to crime or negligence.

Greenway said: "[Winehouse] had been specifically advised of the harm to her health and her life. However, she had her own views about therapy, particularly of the treatment she would accept and whether she would continue with it at any point in time."

She said Winehouse "voluntarily" drank the alcohol and added: "She had consumed sufficient alcohol at 416mg per decilitre (of blood) and the unintended consequence of such potentially fatal levels was her sudden and unexpected death."

The singer was found dead at her home in north London on 23 July following years of drink and drug addiction.

Dr Christina Romete, Winehouse's GP, said the 27-year-old singer would often stop drinking for weeks at a time before hitting the bottle again. Romete said she warned Winehouse of the potential dangers if she kept drinking.

She said: "The advice I had given to Amy over a long period of time was verbal and in written form about all the effects alcohol can have on the system, including respiratory depression and death, heart problems, fertility problems and liver problems."

Winehouse, who was taking medication to cope with anxiety and alcohol withdrawal "had her own views" about treatment, even after consulting with a psychiatrist and a psychologist.

Dr Romete said that on the night before she died a "tipsy" Winehouse had told her that "she did not want to die".

"She was looking forward to the future," said the doctor.

Winehouse's tearful parents Mitch and Janis watched the inquest from the public gallery. They said later it was "some relief" to finally find out what had happened to their daughter.

The inquest also heard her security guard looked in on her at 10am the day she died, but left her for five hours before calling the emergency services.

The live-in guard, Andrew Morris, said he thought she was asleep when he initially checked on her, but at 3pm he checked again and she had not moved.

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